DPS RK PURAM STUDENTS DEVELOP APNA PRAHARI: A SMART AQI MONITORING AND LPG LEAKAGE PREVENTION SYSTEM
TEST THE EFFICACY OF INDOOR AIR-PURIFYING PLANTS
Encouraged by the Principal, Mr Anil Kumar, DPS RK Puram Class X students Jap Malhotra & Vani Menon, under the mentorship of Ms Niva Chhonkar, HoD Biology, developed a ‘Apna Prahari’ ‘अपना प्रहरी’: A PORTABLE POLLUTION PROBE to track the air quality (AQI), especially Indoor Air Quality, along with temperature and humidity.
Many people are unaware of the air they breathe every day, whether indoors, be it at home, school, office or outdoors. This project focused on designing a device that can detect air pollution levels in real time, using different types of sensors. It helps people monitor harmful gases and particulate matter, and take steps to protect their health
Indoor pollution occurs when the air inside homes, offices, schools, or other enclosed spaces becomes polluted. It can cause health issues such as breathing problems, allergies, headaches, and respiratory diseases.LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), carbon monoxide (CO), and ammonia (NH₃) are significant contributors to indoor air pollution and pose health risks if not managed properly.
The Main Causes are Smoking, Cooking smoke, Chemicals from cleaning products, Poor ventilation, Dust, mould, and pollen. Indoor air pollution contains harmful chemicals that come from everyday activities and building materials.
Common Indoor Chemical Pollutants include:
- Carbon Monoxide (CO): Produced by gas stoves, heaters, and tobacco smoke. It prevents oxygen from reaching body tissues.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Found in paints, cleaning products, air fresheners, and adhesives. They can cause irritation, headaches, or long-term health issues.
- Formaldehyde: Present in pressed wood products, furniture, and some fabrics. It can trigger allergies and respiratory problems.
- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂): Released from gas appliances and combustion. It affects lung function.
- Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10): Dust, pollen, mould spores, and fibres that cause breathing problems and allergies.
Incomplete combustion of LPG leads to the release of harmful gases like CO.which is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas. It accumulates in closed spaces and is highly toxic.
This project aimed to design a Smart Air Quality Monitoring Device, which detects indoor AQI in real time, alerts users through mobile/PC, and prevents fire damage by sensing LPG leakage and triggering an alarm. The efficacy of indoor air purification using selected plants: Feather Palm, Money Plant, Chlorophytum (Spider Plant), Sansevieria (Snake Plant). It was proven that Indoor plants play a significant role in improving air quality by absorbing harmful gases and increasing oxygen content.
| Plant | Scientific Name | Pollutant absorbed |
| Feather Palm | Dypsis lutescens | Formaldehyde, Xylene, Toluene |
| Money Plant | Epipremnum aureum | VOCs, benzene, CO,toluene |
| Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum | Carbon monoxide, xylene |
| Snake Plant | Sansevieria trifasciata | Carbon dioxide & formaldehyde |
