Implementation of IoT-Based Air Quality Monitoring System for Investigating Particulate Matter (PM(10)) in Subway Tunnels

Air quality monitoring for subway tunnels in South Korea is a topic of great interest because more than 8 million passengers per day use the subway, which has a concentration of particulate matter (PM(10)) greater than that of above ground. In this paper, an Internet of Things (IoT)-based air quality monitoring system, consisting of an air quality measurement device called Smart-Air, an IoT gateway, and a cloud computing web server, is presented to monitor the concentration of PM(10) in subway tunnels. The goal of the system is to efficiently monitor air quality at any time and from anywhere by combining IoT and cloud computing technologies. This system was successfully implemented in Incheon’s subway tunnels to investigate levels of PM(10). The concentration of particulate matter was greatest between the morning and afternoon rush hours. In addition, the residence time of PM(10) increased as the depth of the monitoring location increased. During the experimentation period, the South Korean government implemented an air quality management system. An analysis was performed to follow up after implementation and assess how the change improved conditions. Based on the experiments, the system was efficient and effective at monitoring particulate matter for improving air quality in subway tunnels.