Abstract: Air pollution is a growing concern worldwide, particularly in large cities. Its monitoring is of paramount importance for decision-makers and environmental agencies to formulate mitigative measures and definitive solutions that enhance air quality, aiming to improve the population’s quality of life and health. However, air quality monitoring faces a series of problems and challenges: (1) cities have a variety of air pollutants, such as suspended particles (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Monitoring all these pollutants comprehensively can be complex and expensive; (2) the strategic placement of monitoring equipment is crucial to obtaining representative data, as these are characterized by fixed stations. However, the uneven distribution of pollution in urban and suburban areas can make it difficult to determine where to place the equipment for effective coverage; (3) air quality monitoring equipment is expensive, which is a significant obstacle for cities with limited financial resources or very large cities; (4) the processing and arrival time of information for the population and decision-makers is extensive. Thus, the implementation of advanced and low-cost technologies that can help overcome these challenges is of great value. Here, we present the development of a low-cost system that employs an innovative approach, integrating Arduino sensors to measure air quality, a GPS-based geolocation module, a microcontroller, and a single-board computer to collect, store, and visualize data over the internet, providing a detailed and accessible analysis of air quality in various locations, in a mobile and real-time manner.

Keywords: Air pollution, Low-cost monitoring systems, Air quality, Climate change, Internet of Things.