Design of a low-cost gas accumulation chamber for general purpose environmental monitoring

Abstract

The need for accurate measurement of CO₂ emissions from surfaces arises from various fields, particularly in precision agriculture, irrigation water management, wastewater management, volcanology, geothermal exploration, environmental and climate monitoring. This study introduces a novel, cost-effective closed dynamic accumulation chamber system designed to measure CO₂ fluxes from soil and water surfaces. A short review of existing measurements techniques is provided, alongside a detailed explanation of key algorithms used for processing field data. The proposed system collects raw CO₂ concentration data via an internal data logger. A custom-developed software suite enables real-time first-approximation flux calculation through a user-friendly Javascript web application compatible with smartphones with any type of operating system and web browser. A freely available Matlab® tool allows for post-processing data analysis for a more accurate flux calculation. After calibration against the commercial PP Systems EGM-5, assumed as a reference, some case studies in agriculture, wastewater treatment and volcanic environments demonstrate the instrument's versatility, showcasing its potential for advance in agricultural field and environmental sustainability.