Air quality monitoring using CCD/ CMOS devices

The atmosphere, which makes up the largest fraction of the biosphere, is a dynamic system that continuously absorbs a wide range of solids, liquids as well as gases from both natural and man-made sources (M. Rao, Air Pollution, 1989). The environmental pollution such as the air pollution is a common global issue especially in Malaysia. We encounter haze problem every year. This is due to the open burning after the harvest season in the country and also from the neighboring country. The worst of these events caused Malaysia to declare an emergency in 1997 for Kuching, Sarawak, and in 2005 for Port Klang and the district of Kuala Selangor. Air pollution was defined as “the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants, such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odor, smoke or vapor in quantities of characteristics, and of duration, such as to be injurious to human, plant, or property, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property” (Lawrence K. Wang et.al., 2004), is not a recent phenomenon.