Thailand’s national science agency is deploying a network of “electronic nose” sensors to pinpoint the sources of hazardous fine-particle pollution, aiming to give authorities real-time data to tackle one of the country’s most persistent environmental crises at its origin.
The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), through its National Nanotechnology Center (Nanotec), said it will roll out 100 prototype devices in pollution hotspots as part of a pilot project to track PM2.5, airborne particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream.
“Fine particulate pollution is a national-level challenge that requires solutions at the source, not just monitoring,” said Uracha Raktanontchai, director of Nanotec, adding that the agency is prioritising nanotechnology-based innovations that can identify emission origins with high precision.
The sensors use so-called e-Nose technology, an array of chemical detectors designed to mimic the human sense of smell but capable of identifying gases and compounds invisible to the naked eye.
The technology has previously been used commercially in food quality control and fragrance testing, but researchers have now adapted it for environmental monitoring.
Each pollution source leaves a distinct chemical “signature,” said Rungroj Maulanon, a researcher on the project’s process engineering and monitoring systems team.
Smoke from biomass burning such as crop residue differs chemically from traffic emissions, industrial pollution or secondary particles formed when ammonia from fertilisers reacts in the atmosphere to create compounds such as ammonium nitrate.
The pilot will deploy sensors across five types of sites – open reference areas, rice paddies, corn fields, fruit orchards and natural forests – with artificial intelligence and mathematical models processing data in real time via a mobile application.
Preliminary agricultural tests showed the system could determine whether a spike in PM2.5 was caused by smoke drifting from nearby sugarcane burning or by chemical reactions from fertiliser use within the monitored area, Rungroj said.
Such granular data would allow authorities to intervene more precisely, targeting enforcement or farmer outreach rather than relying on broad inspections, he added.
Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority (EGAT), which operates the Mae Moh lignite mine in northern Lampang province, is among the first industrial partners testing the system.
Virat Khamphrom, head of mine operations for the Mae Moh lignite mine, said the technology helps distinguish dust generated within the mining site from pollution originating elsewhere, reducing disputes with surrounding communities.
“It allows us to rely on scientific evidence rather than assumptions when identifying the true sources of pollution,” he said.
Policy officials say accurate data is critical for effective regulation.
Sakda Tridech, director of the Air and Noise Quality Innovation Division at Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, said precision monitoring would help build a national database to guide enforcement, legal measures and long-term air-quality policy.
Thailand regularly faces severe seasonal haze, driven by agricultural burning, traffic, industry and cross-border smoke, particularly during the dry season.
NSTDA explained researchers and policymakers will discuss the technology and broader clean-air strategies at its annual conference in April, where officials hope to map out pathways to scale the system to major urban areas.
The initiative is part of a broader push to translate laboratory innovations into field-ready tools to support sustainable air quality management nationwide.
Recent monitoring shows pollution levels frequently exceeding national safety thresholds in parts of the capital. In mid-February, PM2.5 concentrations in some districts rose above the government standard of 37.5 micrograms per cubic metre, reaching levels considered harmful to health.
