Dr. Adisorn Lertsinsrubtavee’s pioneering research paper, titled “Detection of Forest Fires and Pollutant Plume Dispersion through IoT Air Quality Sensors,” has been featured in the new October 2023 volume of the esteemed Environmental Pollution journal. The other authors who contributed to this paper are Prof. Thongchai Kanabkaew from the Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University and Dr. Sunee Raksakietisak, Thai-Australian Technological Services Center (TATSC), based in Bangkok, Thailand.

In the paper, the authors discuss the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors has brought a revolutionary shift in our comprehension of air pollution dynamics. This study, conducted in Tak Province, Thailand, from January to May 2021, employed IoT air quality sensors to detect forest fires. By combining PM2.5 and carbon monoxide measurements with satellite and human hotspot observations, the research identified forest fire incidents. Using a decision-tree model, the study achieved an impressive 72% accuracy in classifying forest fire incidents. Furthermore, the research revealed the predictive power of lag time in PM2.5 for plume dispersion within the next 15 minutes. This study underscores the potential of IoT-based air quality sensors for improving forest fire detection and predicting pollution plume dispersion, once fires are detected.

The link to the full-text paper can be found here.