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F.A.Q.s About Us ☰

Who are we?

The Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC) is a program established by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to inform the public about the real-world capabilities of commercially available air quality sensors. AQ-SPEC provides thorough characterizations of commercially available air quality sensors in ambient (field) and laboratory environments and informs the public on best practices for deployment sensors effectively.

What do we do?

Evaluations

Evaluation reports for sensors measuring particles and gas pollutants (for example: CO, NO₂, O₃, SO₂, VOC). Click here for more.

Sensor List

Learn more about the sensor details and evaluation reports for all sensors evaluated at AQ-SPEC to date. Click here for more.

Sensor Library

sensor_library

AQ-SPEC is working with communities to expand our sensor loan library. More information coming soon!

Submit a Sensor

Find out more about sensor evaluation protocols and procedure to submit a sensor for evaluation. Click here for more.

Special Projects

Find out more about other significant projects undertaken by AQ-SPEC. Click here for more.

Publications

Here, you can find articles published by the AQ-SPEC team in scientific journals. Click here for more.

Featured Resources

Community in Action: A Comprehensive
Guidebook on Air Quality Sensors

Check out our air sensor guidebook on air quality project planning, operating air quality sensors, and understanding the data. (A Spanish version is being planned!)

Click here for more.

Community Air Quality
Co-location Shelter

A sensor co-location shelter is available at South Coast AQMD's Mira Loma Van Buren air monitoring station for interested parties.

Click here to learn more.

More Information

WHY WAS AQ-SPEC CREATED?

AQ-SPEC was established in 2014 with the goal of informing the public on the real-world capabilities of commercially available "low-cost" air quality sensors by providing a thorough characterization of these sensors in field and laboratory environments.

WHAT SENSORS
DO WE TEST?

The AQ-SPEC program focuses on testing lower-cost, commercially available air quality sensors capable of measuring pollutants such as PM_2.5, PM₁₀, O₃, CO, NO, NO₂, VOC, black carbon, ultrafine particles, etc.

HOW DO I
LEARN MORE?

Visit our Sensor Evaluation Information page to learn more about how we evaluate air quality sensor performance. Check out our FAQ page and for further inquiries, contact us here.

News and Updates

ASIC 2026 abstract submission is now open!

The Air Sensors International Conference (ASIC) will be held May 4 - 8, 2026 at the Sheraton Gateway LAX, and is accepting abstracts between September 1, 2025 and October 15, 2025.

GGSensors TAM - Laboratory Evaluation Report (September 5, 2025)

New laboratory evaluation report for the GGSensors TAM sensor measuring PM_1.0 and PM_2.5 mass concentrations is now available.

Cubic Sensors & Instruments PM2012SE-B - Field Evaluation Report (September 5, 2025)

New field evaluation report for the Cubic Sensors & Instruments PM2012SE-B sensor measuring PM_1.0, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass concentrations is now available.

Newsletter Sign Up

Periodic newsletter updates via Email on a variety of air quality-related topics

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