Abstract Nowadays air pollution created by chemical gaseous pollutants becomes
the major concern for the adverse effect on human health, plant or animal life, or the
welfare of man. Thus miniaturized low-cost sensor device based on nanomaterials
can be introduced for an observable signal, or warning bell may be set to control the
pollution level of outdoor as well as indoor air. Exploring the present state-of-the-art
inorganic, organic, or even hybrid nanomaterials used as receptor in chemical
sensors to detect the pollutants in the air is briefly considered here.
In that goal, the utility of the various nanomaterials is focused in the sensing of
various air pollutants. Among those, the nanomaterials receptors like metal and
metal oxide semiconductors, solid electrolytes, insulators, catalytic materials, polymers, etc. including their hybrid nanomaterials have been considered here. The
synthesis and required properties of the nanomaterials for the sensing application
of specific gaseous pollutants are discussed in brief. The discussion also highlights
the activity of nanomaterials for the improvement of sensing performance of existing
sensor. Finally the important example of air pollutant sensor based on various
nanomaterials is represented elaborately, and challenges for the future development
are outlined in this chapter.
Keywords Air pollution · Sensor · Pollution sensor · Environmental sensor · Gas
sensor · Nanomaterials · Nanomaterials-based sensor · Nanomaterials sensors
10.1 Introduction
The environment and its related issues have attracted the attention of decisionmakers, scientists, and technologists around the globe. This is because environmental issues including climate change, pollution, environmental degradation, resource
depletion, etc. must be solved or taken into consideration for the coming generations.
Most of the environmental issues are directly or indirectly related to environmental
contamination or pollution. Environmental pollution may be defined as the presence
of pollutants into the environment adversely altering the natural quality of the
environment and causing detrimental effect toward the environment. In addition,
the pollutant defines the minimum concentration of exposure that the typical worker
can experience without an unreasonable risk of disease or injury. According to the
possibility of contaminations in the air, soil, and water, environmental pollution can
be divided among the categories of air, soil, and water pollution.
Air pollution may be defined as the presence in the atmosphere of one or more
pollutants (or combination thereof) in such quantities and of such durations, which
might be injurious to human health, plant or animal life, or the welfare of man. The
effects of air pollution are greatly influenced by the type and quantity of pollutants
and their possible combinations as well as wind speed and direction, typography,
sunlight, precipitation, vertical change in air temperature, photochemical reactions,
height at which pollutant is released, etc. Therefore, the complete and timely
information regarding the air pollutants would be necessary to achieve healthful
350
P. Kar
the major concern for the adverse effect on human health, plant or animal life, or the
welfare of man. Thus miniaturized low-cost sensor device based on nanomaterials
can be introduced for an observable signal, or warning bell may be set to control the
pollution level of outdoor as well as indoor air. Exploring the present state-of-the-art
inorganic, organic, or even hybrid nanomaterials used as receptor in chemical
sensors to detect the pollutants in the air is briefly considered here.
In that goal, the utility of the various nanomaterials is focused in the sensing of
various air pollutants. Among those, the nanomaterials receptors like metal and
metal oxide semiconductors, solid electrolytes, insulators, catalytic materials, polymers, etc. including their hybrid nanomaterials have been considered here. The
synthesis and required properties of the nanomaterials for the sensing application
of specific gaseous pollutants are discussed in brief. The discussion also highlights
the activity of nanomaterials for the improvement of sensing performance of existing
sensor. Finally the important example of air pollutant sensor based on various
nanomaterials is represented elaborately, and challenges for the future development
are outlined in this chapter.
Keywords Air pollution · Sensor · Pollution sensor · Environmental sensor · Gas
sensor · Nanomaterials · Nanomaterials-based sensor · Nanomaterials sensors
10.1 Introduction
The environment and its related issues have attracted the attention of decisionmakers, scientists, and technologists around the globe. This is because environmental issues including climate change, pollution, environmental degradation, resource
depletion, etc. must be solved or taken into consideration for the coming generations.
Most of the environmental issues are directly or indirectly related to environmental
contamination or pollution. Environmental pollution may be defined as the presence
of pollutants into the environment adversely altering the natural quality of the
environment and causing detrimental effect toward the environment. In addition,
the pollutant defines the minimum concentration of exposure that the typical worker
can experience without an unreasonable risk of disease or injury. According to the
possibility of contaminations in the air, soil, and water, environmental pollution can
be divided among the categories of air, soil, and water pollution.
Air pollution may be defined as the presence in the atmosphere of one or more
pollutants (or combination thereof) in such quantities and of such durations, which
might be injurious to human health, plant or animal life, or the welfare of man. The
effects of air pollution are greatly influenced by the type and quantity of pollutants
and their possible combinations as well as wind speed and direction, typography,
sunlight, precipitation, vertical change in air temperature, photochemical reactions,
height at which pollutant is released, etc. Therefore, the complete and timely
information regarding the air pollutants would be necessary to achieve healthful
350
P. Kar