Don Bosco Technical College

Senior High School Department

Practical Research 2

Topic Proposal

Submitted by:
Binamira, Jon Clark C.
Domingo, Rad Dominic P.
Lara, Emmanuel John H.
Malino, Emmanuel Renaldo C.
Sayan, Jia Louise M.
12-VARIARA

Mr. Michael Vizconde

Subject Teacher
 a. Title

Low-Cost Air Pollution Detector as an Alternative Device to Foresee the Air Condition that Students
Breathe in Don Bosco Technical College

b. Background and Rationale

Air is one of the most basic and important elements for human beings to survive. Clean and Sound air is the
key to a good and healthy life. Air pollution has become the most concerned and affected issue for us now. A
variety of air pollutants have known harmful effects on human health and environment. There are different
particles in the air like lead, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, pollen, and mold spores are making so much air
pollution that can bring lots of diseases which may also lead to serious conditions.

Most schools in urban areas are near major roads and sometimes close to industrial pollution sources. As
awareness of air pollution and its effects, particularly on students, grows, so too does the pressure on
schools to come up with an effective and co-ordinated response. Human activities have been highlighted as
the major causes of air pollution, especially in the cities. To support a larger population there’s a need for
energy production, transportation, and industries, resulting in the emission of harmful chemicals into the
atmosphere. A list of the human causes of air pollution including vehicles, domestic smoke and heating
aircraft pollution, outdoor fires, and incineration of waste. To reduce the problems of air pollution, people
should be more aware of their actions in these areas.

The problem of which the researchers want to investigate is the quality of the air everyone breathes in,
both in rural and urban areas, especially in urban areas where as air is significantly for polluted than the air
in urban areas. Monitoring the air pollution (ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
and nitrous oxide ) in schools for better health and condition for students in urban areas for them to be
educated with their responsibilities.

c. Research Questions

1. What elements are present in the air of Don Bosco Technical College?
2. To what range the device can detect?
3. Did the device provides an accurate reading of the quality of the air?

d. Literature Review

• According to Okokpujie (2018), Air pollution affects our day to day activities and quality of
life. It poses a threat to the ecosystem and the quality of life on the planet. The dire need to
monitor air quality is very glaring, owing to increased industrial activities over the past
years.
 • According to Kaivonen (2019) , Through deploying low-cost wireless sensors, it is possible
to obtain more fine-grained and real-time air pollution levels at different locations. The
sensors on public transport vehicles complement the readings from stationary sensors and
the only ground level monitoring station in Uppsala.

• According to Kumar (2017), Air pollution is the largest environmental and public health
challenge in the world today. Air pollution leads to adverse effects on Human health, climate
and ecosystem. Air is getting polluted because of release of Toxic gases by industries,
vehicular emissions and increased concentration of harmful gases and particulate matter in
the atmosphere. Particulate matter is one of the most important parameters having the
significant contribution to the increase in air pollution. This creates a need for
measurement and analysis of real-time air quality monitoring so that appropriate decisions
can be taken in a timely period.

•According to Revathy (2016), Air pollution has a significant influence on the concentration
of constituents in the atmosphere leading to effects like global warming and acid rains.

e. Research Methodology

I. The scientific method used in this research is experimentation. The researchers aim to
compare this product to a market-available air pollution detector.

1. Materials

Items Quantity/Unit Cost

Arduino Uno 1 200-350 php

5V Power Supply 1 150-200

RGB 16x2 LCD Shield 1 95-150

PPD42 1 500-550

MQ-2 Gas Sensor 1 90-120

MQ-9 Gas Sensor 1 125-450

MiCS-2714 Gas Sensor 1 700-800

MiCS-2614 Gas Sensor 1 3500-3800

DHT11 1 70-100

5V Fan 1 50-100
 2. Experimental Methods

- The experimental method will involve a comparison between a market-

available air pollution detector to an alternative product. This way, the
researchers can compare whether the alternative product is giving an
accurate reading of the quality of the air.
- It will also involve the different range of the alternative device. This way, the
researchers can test the quality and efficiency of the product.

3. Procedure

a. The researchers will be using two Shinyei PPD42 Dust Sensors to collect data about particulate matter.
b. The researchers use surface-mount sensors MiCS-2614 and MiCS-2714 to detect Ozone and Nitrogen
Dioxide respectively.
c. The researchers used MQ-2 and MQ-9 gas sensors to measure toxic gasses including Propane, Butane,
LPG and Carbon Monoxide.
d. The researchers will be using a Keyes DHT11 Temperature and Humidity Sensor to detect temperature
and humidity that plays a role in the gas concentrations.
e. The researchers will need a fan(5 volts) to ensure airflow through the box and prevent overheating.
f. The researchers will be designing a container for the device, recommended, using a 3D printer for it.
g. The researchers will be needing to create/have the codes to print the sensor resistance values, Shinyei
PPD42 low-pulse occupancy percentages, and temperature and humidity readings to the computer via the
serial monitor. It will cycle through the raw data on LCD screen as well.
h. The researchers will be interpreting the data.

f. Plan of Work and Time Schedule

Estimated Time Activity

First Term - Making of Chapters 1-3

Second Term - Gathering of materials needed

- Creation of the air pollution detector
- Testing of the air pollution detector
- Comparing the readings from a market-
available air pollution detector

Third Term - Making of Chapters 4-5

 g. Bibliography

Nayem Jony, M. A. (2018, July 20). Air Pollution Monitoring System. Retrieved from
http://dspace.bracu.ac.bd/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10361/11023/11121020%2C12321023%2C1
2201039%2C12201006_CSE.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Kumar, S. & Jasuja A. (2017). Air quality monitoring system based on IoT using Raspberry Pi. Retrieved
from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8230005

Okokpujie, K., Noma-Osaghae, E. & Odusami, M. & John S. ( 2018, September). A Smart Air Pollution
Monitoring System. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328015436_A_Smart_Air_Pollution_Monitoring_System