Newcastle Uni Finds Solution in Custom AirMetER Monitoring Station

University of Newcastle Study Investigates VOCs in Vapour Intrusion

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a group of hazardous and sometimes even carcinogenic chemicals found in solvents, petroleum fuels and other products and processes. With VOCs causing significant concern as a widespread pollutant in environments across Australia, University of Newcastle researchers Liang Wang, Ying Cheng, Gaurang Parekh, and Ravi Naidu undertook a study to address the issue of VOCs infiltrating human habitats via vapour intrusion (VI). The team aimed to develop a predictive model on VOC flux variations in soil vapour that could be used to inform site owners of upcoming VOC events and enable them to act accordingly. While traditional methods for assessing vapour intrusion involved labour-intensive groundwater and soil vapour sampling often hindered by high costs and lengthy analysis times, this project would utilise remotely accessible real-time data to inform their model.

Unique Monitoring Criteria Required for VOC Study

To conduct the study, the researchers required an onsite gas monitoring station that could provide real-time measurements of VOCs and an array of other variables. However, the team could not find a suitable solution on the market due to the uncommon collection of key parameters they required including soil moisture, ambient low range VOC, barometric pressure, humidity, temperature and more.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724017583

Custom Design Solution Addresses Study's Specialised Monitoring Requirements

While Liang was visiting the Air-Met Scientific NSW office to collect a separate rental order, a friendly chat with National Sales Manager, Andrew Marom led the latter to discover that Liang had a project he was having difficulty sourcing equipment for due to its unique monitoring requirements. After some initial discussions about the project and the challenges Liang was facing, Andrew introduced him to the Australian Made AirMetER-AX Multi Parameter Monitoring Station with its vast range of gases available and capacity for sensor integration. Built inhouse by the Air-Met Scientific Engineering Team, the unit could support the integration of a variety of sensors and be tailored to meet the unique requirements of Liang’s project including periodic sampling of VOCs on a timer, integration of an external vapour moisture and temperature probe to be buried in the ground, and an array of other parameters.

After setting up the unit onsite, measurements taken every minute by the monitoring station could be remotely accessed in real-time through the LiveSense cloud platform. Through this setup, the team were able to develop a smartphone app that drew real-time data from the LiveSense cloud portal and incorporated their predictive model to allow users to easily and conveniently review the data and receive alerts for upcoming VOC events.

“The AirMetER-AX Monitoring Station significantly enhanced our study’s efficiency and effectiveness” says Liang. “The implementation of a gas sensor setup in the field for long-term monitoring, along with the establishment of a reliable signal transmission system, is crucial. This system continuously relays sensor signals to an online database through a mobile network, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of our research efforts. As a result, we can maintain consistent monitoring, promptly analyse data, and respond to any changes in VOC levels and environmental conditions with greater accuracy and speed."

Driving Innovation and Success Through Collaboration and Communication

Air-Met Scientific’s capacity as a national organisation and the Engineering Team’s understanding of the application allowed them to design a bespoke solution that could address requirements outside of current market availabilities.

The Air-Met inhouse Engineering Team “are passionate about tackling new design challenges and finding the best approach to each case a client presents to us. By collaborating with our clients to understand the specifics of their application, we design tailored solutions that meet their unique requirements while ensuring suitability and optimal performance for the nature of their work.” says Shane Lenton, National Engineering Manager at Air-Met Scientific.

Our Engineering Team firmly believes that effective communication and collaboration are pivotal to the success of every project. As Liang highlighted, “throughout all stages of the project, from designing and development to field deployment and problem-solving, we experienced smooth and effective communication with the engineering team…significantly contributing to the successful outcome of our project.”

By working together seamlessly and openly sharing knowledge and information, our teams work with our customers to promptly address challenges, leveraging diverse perspectives to ensure alignment toward common goals. This collaborative approach not only enhances efficiency but also fosters innovation, leading to more robust and successful project outcomes.

In March 2024, the study was successfully published under the title, “Real-time monitoring and predictive analysis of VOC flux variations in soil vapor: Integrating PID sensing with machine learning for enhanced vapor intrusion forecasts”.

To learn more about how the AirMetER-AX Environmental Monitoring Station was used or read the full paper and its findings, click on the link below. Alternatively, reach out to your local Air-Met Scientific representative to learn more about the custom solutions we can provide for your project.

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