Types of Sensors for Environmental Monitoring |
Posted: September 6, 2020 |
We can get a better insight into a certain thing by monitoring it closely. In order to monitor the environment, we need to follow certain procedures and activities through which we understand the quality of the environment and keep our environment protected from negative outcomes such as pathogens, toxic contamination, etc. In a nutshell, this is environmental monitoring. Along with helping us preparing an environmental impact assessment, it also helps in understanding the human activities that bring harmful consequences to nature. Types of monitoring:
Three main components of nature are air, soil and water and thus, environmental monitoring is conducted mainly on these three components. Air monitoring: One of the raising concerns of today’s world is air pollution. To evaluate and monitor the air quality, air sampling is the key process. Air sampling can be of different types such as diffusive, passive or biomonitoring with organisms. As the wind highly impacts air pollution density, so anemometer is anessential device for air monitoring. Soil monitoring:Soil sampling is important for soil monitoring. It helps to identify issues like soil erosion, level of contamination, salinity, etc. Good soil quality is very crucial for farming and agricultural purpose and to regenerate trees and forests which keep the air clean by absorbing CO2. That is why a high amount of environment monitoring attempts focus on soil monitoring. Water monitoring: Like air and soil monitoring, sampling is imperative for water monitoring also. However, water sampling can be of various kinds such as simple random, systematic, judgemental, remote sensors, adaptive clusters, stratified, etc. Understanding the presence of chemicals in the water is very important. So, things like the existence of oxygen, oil, metals, nutrients – everything is monitored in water monitoring. Types of sensors:
Conducting environmental monitoring requires sophisticated sensors and equipment which can be expensive. Environmental equipment rental services are thus a very good alternative option. There are plenty of sensors available with different functionality and specifications. Size, speed, sensitivity – all factors come in play in case of deciding the right environmental monitoring sensor. The main types of sensors are; Trace metal sensor:
Volatile organic compound sensors:
Radioisotopic sensors:
Biological sensors:
Different types of sensors based on environmental factors are:
Moisture sensors: These are crucial to measuring the volumetric water content in the soil. Tilt sensors: Tilt sensors are vital to calculate the tilt angles in accordance with the ground plane of the Earth. Rain sensors: Mainly used in irrigation system in the agricultural sector, windscreen wipers in cars, rain sensors come with an automatic switching system that turns on in the presence of rainfall. Vibration sensors: These sensors are essential for acceleration and displacement related issues that have a lasting influence on the environment.
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