Articles | Volume 19, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1293-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1293-2026
Research article
 | 
19 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 19 Feb 2026

Recalibration of low-cost O3 and PM2.5 sensors: linking practices to recent air sensor test protocols

Paul Gäbel and Elke Hertig

Cited articles

Alphasense: Technical Specifications Version 1.1, NO2-B43F/NO2-B43F+ Nitrogen Dioxide Sensor, https://ametekcdn.azureedge.net/mediafiles/project/oneweb/oneweb/alphasense/products/datasheets/alphasense_no2-b43f_datasheet_en_3.pdf?revision:d508b1b6-68fe-4a43-b758-8c4d8c17084a (last access: 21 March 2025), 2024a. 
Alphasense: Technical Specifications Version 1.1, OX-B431/OX-B431+ Oxidising Gas Sensor – Ozone + Nitrogen Dioxide, https://ametekcdn.azureedge.net/mediafiles/project/oneweb/oneweb/alphasense/products/datasheets/alphasense_ox-b431_datasheet_en_4.pdf?revision:75724508-b98a-4612-aa4c-19ba3fbc0c1b (last access: 21 March 2025), 2024b. 
Alphasense: Technical Specifications Version 1.1, CO-B4/CO-B4+ Carbon Monoxide Sensor, https://ametekcdn.azureedge.net/mediafiles/project/oneweb/oneweb/alphasense/products/datasheets/alphasense_co-b4_datasheet_en_2.pdf?revision:87f7d42e-02c4-4b00-b888-bd9c8d07ed3f (last access: 21 March 2025), 2024c. 
Bagkis, E., Kassandros, T., Karteris, M., Karteris, A., and Karatzas, K.: Analyzing and Improving the Performance of a Particulate Matter Low Cost Air Quality Monitoring Device, Atmosphere, 12, 251, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12020251, 2021. 
Bagkis, E., Kassandros, T., and Karatzas, K.: Learning Calibration Functions on the Fly: Hybrid Batch Online Stacking Ensembles for the Calibration of Low-Cost Air Quality Sensor Networks in the Presence of Concept Drift, Atmosphere, 13, 416, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13030416, 2022. 
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Short summary
Our yearlong study examined the performance of low-cost sensors for monitoring ozone and fine particulate matter. They benefit from regular, in-season adjustments – monthly recalibration proved most effective – to deliver reliable data. Using an uncommon recalibration method and state-of-the-art air sensor test protocols for evaluation, we showed the importance of recurrent calibration to maximize sensor performance and to broaden their scope of application, particularly for ozone monitoring.
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