{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:24:33Z","timestamp":1760145873539,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,12]],"date-time":"2024-09-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1726099200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The goal of the present research was to assess, under controlled laboratory conditions, the accuracy and precision of a prototype device (named \u2018P.ALP\u2019: Ph.D. Air-quality Low-cost Project) developed for PM2.5 concentration level monitoring. Indeed, this study follows a complementary manuscript (previously published) focusing on the in-field evaluation of the device\u2019s performance. Four P.ALP prototypes were co-located with the reference instrument in a calm-air aerosol chamber at the NIOSH laboratories in Pittsburgh, PA (USA), used by the Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies. The devices were tested for 10 monitoring days under several exposure conditions. To evaluate the performance of the prototypes, different approaches were employed. After the data from the devices were stored and prepared for analysis, to assess the accuracy (comparing the reference instrument with the prototypes) and the precision (comparing all the possible pairs of devices) of the P.ALPs, linear regression analysis was performed. Moreover, to find out the applicability field of this device, the US EPA\u2019s suggested criteria were adopted, and to assess error trends of the prototype in the process of data acquisition, Bland\u2013Altman plots were built. The findings show that, by introducing ad hoc calibration factors, the P.ALP\u2019s performance needs to be further implemented, but the device can monitor the concentration trend variations with satisfying accuracy. Overall, the P.ALP can be involved in and adapted to a wide range of applications because of the inexpensive nature of the components, the small dimensions, and the high data storage capacity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s24185915","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,12]],"date-time":"2024-09-12T06:31:40Z","timestamp":1726122700000},"page":"5915","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["First in-Lab Testing of a Cost-Effective Prototype for PM2.5 Monitoring: The P.ALP Assessment"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3728-839X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giacomo","family":"Fanti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3452-2803","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesca","family":"Borghi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Palagi 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cody","family":"Wolfe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2836-6106","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Davide","family":"Campagnolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Justin","family":"Patts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2962-7259","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Cattaneo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0371-3164","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Spinazz\u00e8","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emanuele","family":"Cauda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Domenico Maria","family":"Cavallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2982","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2020.11.010","article-title":"Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors, 1990\u20132019: Update From the GBD 2019 Study","volume":"76","author":"Roth","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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