Why Can’t Monitors Measure PM10 or PM1 or PM2.5? How Can You Tell How Accurate a Monitor Really is?

A typical household air quality monitor uses a laser to count and measure the number of particles in the air. This laser can’t measure the exact number of  PM10 or PM1 or PM2.5 particles, just the total number of ‘all particles’ in the air. Most air quality monitors use this number and a calibrated formula to estimate the corresponding PM2.5 concentration.

Learn more: How particle counters and air quality monitors work?


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