A Real Time GPRS and Web Based System for Monitoring Air Pollutants using Mobile Data Acquisition Unit

A real time Pollutant Monitoring system using an array of GPRS sensors has been designed, implemented and tested. The proposed system consists of a Mobile Data Acquisition Unit (Mobile- DAU) and a fixed internet enabled Pollutant Monitoring Server (P-server). The Mobile-DAU integrates a single-chip microcontroller, air pollutants sensors array, a general packet radio service modem (a GPRS modem), and a Global positioning system module (a GPS module). The P-server is a high end personal computer application server with internet connectivity. The Mobile-DAU gathers air pollutants levels (CO, NO2, and SO2), and packs them in a frame with the GPS physical location, time, and date. The frame is subsequently uploaded to the GPRS-Modem and transmitted to the P-Server via the public mobile network. A database server is attached to the P-Server for storing the pollutants level for further usage by various clients such as environment protection agencies, vehicles registration authorities, and tourist and insurance companies. The P-server is interfaced to google maps to display real time pollutants levels and locations in large metropolitan areas. The system reports real-time pollutants level and their location on a 24-h/7-day basis.