Application of Cluster Analysis to Examine the Performance of Low-Cost Volatile Organic Compound Sensors

Airtight energy-efficient buildings of today need efficient ventilation to secure high indoor air quality. There is a for affordable and reliable sensors make demand control available in broad range systems. Low-cost metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) volatile organic compound (VOC) offer such possibility, but they are usually non-selective react compounds. The objective the present paper was use cluster analysis assess ability five commercially MOS VOC detect pollutants residential setting. We studied three scenarios: emissions from people (human bioeffluents), furnishing materials (linoleum), human activity (surface cleaning with spray detergent). monitored each scenario proton-transfer-reaction–time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS). applied an agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm evaluate dissimilarity between clusters. Four tested produced signals agreement concentration patterns measured PTR-ToF-MS; one sensor underperformed all cases. Three showed very similar performance under emission scenarios. results that could help understanding whether particular matched intended scenario.