The Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network: A Model for Community-based Environmental Monitoring for Public Health Action

TitleThe Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network: A Model for Community-based Environmental Monitoring for Public Health Action
Publication TypeJournal Article
AuthorsEnglish, Paul B., Luis Olmedo, Ester Bejarano, Humberto Lugo, Eduardo Murillo, Edmund Seto, Michelle Wong, Galatea King, Alexa Wilkie, Dan Meltzer, Graeme Carvlin, Michael Jerrett, and Amanda Northcross
JournalEnvironmental health perspectives
Volume125
Issue7
Pagination074501-074501
ISSN1552-9924
AbstractThe Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network (the Network) is a collaborative group of community, academic, nongovernmental, and government partners designed to fill the need for more detailed data on particulate matter in an area that often exceeds air quality standards. The Network employs a community-based environmental monitoring process in which the community and researchers have specific, well-defined roles as part of an equitable partnership that also includes shared decision-making to determine study direction, plan research protocols, and conduct project activities. The Network is currently producing real-time particulate matter data from 40 low-cost sensors throughout Imperial County, one of the largest community-based air networks in the United States. Establishment of a community-led air network involves engaging community members to be citizen-scientists in the monitoring, siting, and data collection process. Attention to technical issues regarding instrument calibration and validation and electronic transfer and storage of data is also essential. Finally, continued community health improvements will be predicated on facilitating community ownership and sustainability of the network after research funds have been expended. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1772
URLhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28886604
DOI10.1289/EHP1772