Introduction

The apparatus consists of a miniaturized device for in situ and simultaneous measurements of the concentrations of trace gases (CO 2 CO, CH 4 O 3 NH 3 released from the soil and  measurements of meteorological parameters ( pressure, humidity). The system uses sensors miniaturized and a custom software that allows the self calibration of the sensors in real time. The device needs low power that can be supplied by a small solar panel and can be used in remote areas.

Technical features

At present, all the measurements of gaseous com-pounds emitted from the soil are made analyzing dissolved species in the water, or by chamber analysis of a single gas, such as CO2, using expensive and big apparatus. Other measurement systems for simultaneously gaseous species involve the collection of gas samples from the soil and their analysis in the laboratory, not allowing continuous nor in situ measurements. Therefore the main advantages in relation to products currently on the market are: small size and low power consumption of the device which allows measurements in wells with diameters as low as 7 cm, it allows measures of more compounds simultaneously and directly in the gas phase, finally it allows continuous measurements and the data are sent in real-time to a server.

Possible Applications

The gas measuring device can be used:

• In the field of civil protection;
• For monitoring air pollution;
• For monitoring multiple gases simultaneously in active fault zones;
• In landfills;
• Mounted on drones to monitor gases from industrial chimneys.

Advantages

• Small size;
• Low consumption;
• Simultaneous measurement of compounds;
• Continuous measurements.