Low-cost sensor technology is “revolutionising” the way experts identify and manage sources of air pollution, offering a powerful, affordable tool for improving public health and environmental policy worldwide, a new study reveals.
Researchers discovered that Low-Cost Source Apportionment (LoCoSA) is already being used to great effect across the Global South.
The scientists are now putting their findings into practice in Uganda, through a collaborative effort with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) and funded by the UK Government through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
This study is conducted as part of the Environmental Pollution Programme (EPP), feeding into Uganda’s Health and Pollution Action Plan (HPAP).
The project will identify and understand the dominant sources of Kampala’s air
pollution, particularly quantifying transport-related air pollution (TRAP).
Publishing their findings in Science of the Total Environment, an international team of researchers introduces the concept of LoCoSA, using affordable air quality sensors to pinpoint pollution sources in both indoor and outdoor environments.
Research team leaders Dr Dimitrios Bousiotis and Professor Francis Pope, both from the University of Birmingham, recently travelled to Uganda to join colleagues in launching the Kampala project.
Professor Francis Pope commented, “Low-Cost Source Apportionment is a game changer. It enables communities, policymakers, and industries to understand the sources of air pollution in real time and at a fraction of the cost.
“As we approach COP30, we need to empower local action and support more targeted, effective interventions.
“LoCoSA has the potential to
democratise air quality monitoring, especially in regions where traditional, high-cost monitoring infrastructure is not feasible.”
LoCoSA used in Global South
Researchers reviewed 41 international studies and found that LoCoSA is already being used to great effect in countries across the Global South, including India, Nigeria, and China. These regions often lack the resources for conventional air quality monitoring yet face some of the world’s most severe pollution challenges.
Like other Global South countries, Uganda faces multiple pollution challenges - including indoor and outdoor air pollution, agrochemical misuse, contaminated sites, water pollution, and heavy metals. These issues threaten natural resources, increase the cost of clean water, and contribute to disease and premature death.
In partnership with the AirQo team, Makerere University, and Global
Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP), the project will study selected locations across the city and develop a tool to estimate typical citizen exposure to TRAP, measuring associated health impacts and inequalities.
Scientists will explore how air pollution exposure links to travel needs, behaviour, and urban design.
Maria Paola Lia, GAHP Executive Director, commented: “The implications for policy are significant. LoCoSA is not just a scientific innovation – it’s a social one.
“It brings air quality science into the hands of communities, enabling them to advocate for cleaner air and healthier lives.
“LoCoSA offers a scalable solution for governments in countries across the Global South aiming to meet increasingly stringent air quality standards.
“By identifying pollution sources more accurately, regulators can design fairer and
more effective emissions controls.”
One of the most compelling outcomes of the research is LoCoSA’s ability to deliver hyperlocal data. In Birmingham, for example, mobile low-cost sensors were deployed in residential areas to map pollution sources down to 100m grids.
This level of detail allows for precise identification of pollution hotspots, such as construction sites or traffic corridors, and supports more responsive urban planning and public health strategies.
The study also highlights the growing importance of indoor air quality, particularly in schools, homes, and workplaces.
LoCoSA has been used to trace indoor pollution back to specific activities like cooking, heating, or the infiltration of outdoor air,providing actionable insights for improving indoor environments.
LoCoSA also enables companies to monitor their environmental footprint in real time, supporting compliance, sustainability goals, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Smaller businesses can use the solution’s affordability to access environmental monitoring that was previously out of reach.