Design and Implementation of a Scalable LoRaWAN-Based Air Quality Monitoring Infrastructure for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Air pollution threatens human and environmental health worldwide. A Harvard study in partnership with UK institutions found that fossil fuel pollution killed over 8 million people in 2018, accounting for 1 in 5 fatalities worldwide. Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has a major environmental issue in that it ranks second worst in 2022 due to the high level of particulate matter, specifically PM2.5. In this paper, a LoRa-based infrastructure for environmental monitoring in the Kurdistan Region has been designed and developed. The infrastructure encompasses end-node devices, an open-source network server, and an IoT platform. Two AirQNodes were prototyped and deployed to measure particulate matter values, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure using manufacturer-calibrated PM sensors and combined temperature, humidity, and atmospheric sensors. An open-source network server is adopted to manage the AirQNodes and the entire network. In addition, an IoT platform has also been designed and implemented to visualize and analyze the collected data. The platform processes and stores the data, making it accessible for the public and decision-making parties. The infrastructure was tested and results validated by deploying two AirQNodes at separate locations adjacent to existing air quality monitoring stations as reference points. The findings demonstrated that the AirQNodes reliably mirrored the trends and patterns observed in the reference monitors. This research establishes a comprehensive infrastructure for monitoring air quality in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Furthermore, complete ownership of the system can be attained by possessing and overseeing the critical components of the infrastructure, which encompass the end devices, network server, and IoT platform. This integrated strategy is especially crucial for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where cost-efficiency and enduring sustainability are vital, yet such a structure is absent.