Case study Ecorçair

Urban air quality and environmental health are pressing concerns, particularly regarding pollution from automobile emissions. Launched in 2016 and renewed annually, the Ecorc’Air project aims to quantify and map fine metallic particle pollution in urban areas over time and space. The project leverages the plane tree (Platanus) as a natural sensor—its annually renewing bark captures airborne pollutants, offering a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to traditional monitoring filters while ensuring high spatial resolution.Led by the University of Toulouse, Sorbonne University, MINES ParisTech, and the Paris Institute of Earth Physics, Ecorc’Air operates within the PartiCitaE citizen science platform. Public participation is central to data collection, allowing volunteers to contribute by following a standardized protocol. This case study examines the project's methodology, data collection strategies, and its role in fostering community engagement for improved urban environmental monitoring.