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How To Smell Pollutants

by liseman on April 5, 2008

Table of Contents

How To Smell Pollutants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: How To Smell Pollutants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 2: Set Up Your Arduino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 3: Create Your Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 4: Test Your Newfound Sense of Smell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 5: Build Away! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
 Author:liseman author's website
bicycles, gardening, and other important stuff

Intro: How To Smell Pollutants

This Instructable explains how to use a gas sensor with your Arduino.

This lets your Arduino smell (and hence you program responses to) overall gas levels for a variety of nasties, including ethanol, methane, formaldehyde, and a bunch of
other volatile organic compounds.

My cost to make this actual device was under $100, including the full Arduino kit. Here's a video:

.
And no, I won't put a shirt on:-)

I've got kits / finished versions of this and some other projectsfor sale @ my website

The closest comparable commercial products I can find are:

-a commercial-quality detector: $2500+
-a lab monitor: $295
-a one-off test kit for volatile organic compounds: $234

I learned about this after hearing about some guys who added VOC sensors to toy dogs. Not sure where/if the docs on that project are, but here's the guide that I
followed.

Links explaining what VOCs are and why you might want to care:
-Some symptoms of overexposure to VOCs
-an OSHA regulation on formaldehyde levels
-information on sick building syndrome: 'A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide
may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ).'
-The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality: "For pollutants other than radon, measurements are most appropriate when there are either health symptoms or signs of
poor ventilation and specific sources or pollutants have been identified as possible causes of indoor air quality problems. Testing for many pollutants can be expensive.
Before monitoring your home for pollutants besides radon, consult your state or local health department or professionals who have experience in solving indoor air quality
problems in non-industrial buildings."

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
 Image Notes
1. 1k potentiometer
2. voc sensor: figaro sensors 2620
3. arduino (from ladyada.net kit)

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You'll need:
-an Arduino (or equivalent)
-a cable to hook the Arduino up to your computer / provide power
-a computer to read values
-a potentiometer or resistor of known value. anywhere from 500-1k ohms should work
-the gas sensor: a pain to buy in small quantities. i bought 2 and they cost like $22 each, but volume orders get way cheaper... the specific sensor i used was figaro
sensors's 2620.

Here's what I used:

-the arduino kit I used
-the different sensors available from Figaro (use different sensors to 'smell' different things)

It' useful but not necessary to have a multimeter and wire stripper handy...

The pdf included with this step is the price list from the sensor manufacturer as of March 2008.

Image Notes
1. tgs2620 voc sensor. careful w/ these: they're not cheap and don't seem
particularly hardy:)

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
 Image Notes
1. 1k potentiometer
2. ground (either one of 2 outer pins)
3. variable resistance
4. incoming resistance (either one of 2 outer pins)

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
File Downloads

Price 01_08 USA.pdf ((612x792) 191 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Price 01_08 USA.pdf']
Step 2: Set Up Your Arduino
1. Get your Arduino connected to your computer and functional
This should be pretty straightforward, especially with any newer Arduino. This guide worked for me.
2. Program your Arduino to read the value from an analog input and display this on-screen. I used
-this guide for using a potentiometer with an arduino and basically just modified the frequency with which it reads input value (delay(100) = read 10 times per second) to
get the following code, which works for me:

//this outputs pot value to screen in ohms

int gasSensor = 0; // select input pin for gasSensor

int val = 0; // variable to store the value coming from the sensor

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
val = analogRead(gasSensor); // read the value from the pot
Serial.println( val );
delay(100);
}

If you're using this as your first excuse to play with an Arduino, you might want to try just wiring up the potentiometer and reading the value from it before adding the
sensor.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
Step 3: Create Your Circuit
The picture attached is an image of the circuit from above (meaning that the sensor's leads are pointing towards the ground; there's a little metal tab protruding from the
sensor to let you understand which pin is which. Also, check out the figaro guide for the specific sensor you choose. Attached is the datasheet, with some example
circuits, for the 2620.

For the 2620, the datasheet specifies at least 450 ohms resistance needed. I tuned my potentiometer to ~right around 450 ohms.

In plain english, here are the connections you'll want to make:

-sensor pin 1 to an outer pin of potentiometer and ground (arduino ground)
-sensor pin 2 to other outer pin of potentiometer
-sensor pin 3 to arduino +5 v and sensor pin 4
-middle pin of potentiometer to arduino analog 0 input

You can solder this (read Figaro note on which type of solder and temperature exposure of sensors), but a breadboard is good enough for my purposes.

Image Notes
1. potentiometer
2. view of sensor from above

Image Notes
1. pin2: sensor -
2. pin3: sensor +
3. protruding metal thing letting you see which pin is which
4. pin4: heater +
5. pin1: heater -

File Downloads

2620pdf.pdf ((612x792) 109 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to '2620pdf.pdf']
Step 4: Test Your Newfound Sense of Smell
With everything connected, you're ready to hook the arduino up to your computer, fire up the arduino environment, and start reading values. Don't forget (like I initially
did:)) to hit the 'monitor serial input' button in the arduino software.

You'll then begin to see values scrolling in the black space at the bottom of the arduino program. These values are the resistance, in ohms, being read from the circuit.

To test, blow slowly for at least a few seconds over the top of the sensor. The numbers on the screen should change. Also try holding the sensor over a high-
concentration chemical that it should detect: my value jumped quite a bit doing this.

With ~4 days burn-in and ambient temperature of 63F, the values I read in my house were (which is reasonably free of chemical use):
-sitting in the open air, after sensor warms up for ~1 minute: 52
-breathing slowly over the sensor for several seconds: 73
-holding sensor directly over an open bottle of grain alcohol: 235

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
 Image Notes
1. holding the sensor over the grain alcohol. don't get it wet (or drink this stuff: it's
pretty nasty!)

Image Notes
1. readings while over the alcohol: lotsa vocs!
2. don't forget to hit this button to start outputting the readings in the black box
below:)

Step 5: Build Away!

Without burning in this circuit for a week and adding a thermistor, this is really only good for reading relative concentrations of chemicals: eg, if you want a 'lower-VOC'
paint, you could hold this over different open bottles of paint (in a room of constant temperature) and reasonably feel a bit safer using the paint that registers the lowest
value. Obviously, there are nasties (and probably some VOCs: I don't know) that this doesn't detect, but it's definitely a bit better than nothing:-)

Attached is a pdf Figaro Sensors provided, detailing the response of thermistors at different temperatures. Definitely not the only thermistor you can use, but may be
useful as you explore your own, better version of this project.

A cool expansion I want to see is to display the approximate level in parts per million (ppm) of air pollution on my back as I ride my bike through traffic, maybe with an
LED 'Mr. Yuck' sign that turns on above a certain concentration as well. Let me know what you build, and have fun!

File Downloads

Semitec D Thermistors.pdf ((613x842) 638 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Semitec D Thermistors.pdf']

Related Instructables

Air quality Arduino Basics:

balloons by Make a basic Ard-e: The robot coin slot K'nex AK-47
electromagnet with an Arduino PIR Sensors by Model (Photos)
staceyk detector by
by sacred as a brain by frenzy by
semiotech
imadami TwistedParadox

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
Comments
19 comments Add Comment

the ultiment master says: Mar 7, 2011. 4:12 PM REPLY

could iit be modified to smell any chemical?

yeagerxp says: Jan 10, 2011. 12:15 PM REPLY

you should be able to buy arduino from WEB, search for it, it is available in EUROPE,

bojanmanev says: Jan 3, 2011. 1:50 PM REPLY

can i buy arduino online please tell me the site for buy a want to do this but i haven't got a arduino i m from macedonia

guitarmonk15 says: Sep 27, 2010. 5:48 PM REPLY

I know a better way. If you breathe something, and promptly drop dead, it's usually a sign of polluted air. So then you'll know in the future - oh wait.

Spaceman Spiff says: Dec 20, 2010. 8:46 AM REPLY

Actually I've heard of this being done, with birds in cages, not people.

godscountry says: Sep 22, 2010. 8:20 AM REPLY

add this board and sensors,to a quad rotor,a low cost way to inspect accident sites,train wrecks,chemical spills etc. without the risk to humans or animals
.Maybe a sniffer for explosives,drugs

cdousley says: Jul 7, 2010. 6:57 PM REPLY

haha your brothers cool! so are you.

tmort says: Jul 14, 2009. 12:25 PM REPLY

can this circuit be modified to add more sensors for mulitple gases and a datalogger?

liseman says: Jul 14, 2009. 3:14 PM REPLY

hi tmort, yeah, that should be pretty easy to do. if you need accuracy in terms of actual gas concentrations, consider borrowing a fancy, professional gas
sensor to calibrate your arduino-based one... hope this helps! -luke

Coffee bean says: Dec 5, 2008. 1:16 PM REPLY

nice! think it could recognize welding gas leaks?

magganrchy says: Jun 26, 2009. 7:49 PM REPLY

http://www.nenvitech.com/gas-detection-heads/type-3-heads/?searchterm=acetylene

This is For acetylene There's all sorts of Gas sensors though

polar bear6 says: Apr 7, 2008. 6:08 AM REPLY

why dont you have a shirt on lol

ReCreate says: Mar 2, 2009. 8:25 PM REPLY

weird

timmy1234s says: Aug 8, 2008. 2:32 PM REPLY

Here is a better place to get the sensors. http://www.futurlec.com/Gas_Sensors.shtml

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/
 davidprosser says: Apr 6, 2008. 3:04 PM REPLY
Could u upload a vid of u fartin on it and the reaction on PC. lol would it go crazy or what :O LOL

Rob K says: Apr 6, 2008. 9:38 PM REPLY

I had the same idea.

joejoerowley says: Apr 5, 2008. 2:50 PM REPLY

Great Instructable! Wow! Well Done! I just voted even though votes don't count for this contest but this should win! Great work. I think I read that article your
talking about in Make magazine. Nice instructable!!

LinuxH4x0r says: Apr 5, 2008. 12:41 PM REPLY

Woah! I just use a fan when in doubt! Great job!

GorillazMiko says: Apr 5, 2008. 12:26 PM REPLY

Looks... complicated.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Smell-Pollutants/