Technology


WHAT DO AIR QUALITY MONITORING PROFESSIONALS NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2026?


Jed Thomas explores what 2026 will hold for air quality monitoring professionals


In 2026, the demands placed on air quality monitoring are continuing to become more demanding and more various.


Both regulators and the public have higher expectations. Alongside this they’re requesting accurate, specifi c data that is real-time, interoperable and transparent to a much wider variety of stakeholders.


Air quality regulation


Perhaps the most pressing concerns for the coming year is the continued strengthening of air quality regulation, particularly in Europe.


Alignment with the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive, informed by updated recommendations from the World Health Organization, is pushing monitoring networks in Europe to demonstrate higher spatial resolution and lower detection limits.


By 2026, many authorities are expected to move beyond compliance-only monitoring. Instead working towards systems that can support exposure assessment and source attribution.


This places increased stress across the breadth of our monitoring infrastructure. It forces us to rethink the purposes and functions of air quality monitoring networks.


Simultaneously, the demand for air monitoring equipment continues to be dominated by the requirements of emissions reporting frameworks.


For instance, ammonia and ultrafi nes are attracting more attention. This is on account of their role in climate forcing as


well as in public health.


To nobody’s surprise, the lists of pollutants and parameters will continue to expand. This will result in more frequent scrutiny of uncertainty and comparability.


Technological advancements Technological trends are also reshaping expectations.


By 2026, the distinction between reference-grade monitoring and supplementary sensor networks is becoming far more porous. Even if it remains rigidly distinct in regulation.


Advances in low-cost sensor performance and statistical correction are enabling hybrid networks. These networks combine fi xed stations with mobile platforms and nests of smaller sensors.


If you’re looking to update your skills, it’s worth considering how this diversifi cation of instruments will require experienced data handling.


Understanding how different data streams can combine without undermining accuracy has never been more important.


An expanding audience


Another defi ning shift is the growing role of air quality data in municipal governance and public communication.


Cities are increasingly using monitoring outputs to guide their decisions on urban planning. As well as increasing their efforts


For those of us working in this industry, the future will require a whole suite of new skills; many of which we are still in the process of discovering


Traffi c pollution alters the atmosphere’s electric fi eld, study fi nds Air Quality Monitoring


A new study shows that traffi c-related pollution in central Israel produces rapid, measurable changes in the atmospheric electric fi eld. While gaseous pollutants from vehicles trigger almost immediate electrical responses, fi ne particulate matter causes slower, delayed effects. The research also identifi es a clear weekend signal: reduced traffi c and industrial activity lead to a noticeable weakening of the electric fi eld. Together, these fi ndings highlight atmospheric electricity as a highly sensitive, real-time indicator of urban air quality—capable of capturing rapid emission changes that conventional monitoring systems may overlook. The results point to new possibilities for tracking the immediate impact of traffi c patterns and emission-reduction policies, with implications for urban planning, environmental monitoring, and public health.


Hebrew University of Jerusalem — A collaborative research team has demonstrated how routine pollution from traffi c and industry measurably alters the atmospheric electric fi eld over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The study was led by Dr. Roy Yaniv of the


Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Gertner Institute at Sheba Medical Centre, together with Dr. Assaf Hochman from the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University and Prof. Yoav Yair of Reichman University. They were joined by Itay Froomer from Hadera High School and the Israeli Museum of Medicine and Science (Technoda), who conducted the research as part of the Ministry of Education’s fi ve-unit physics research track. The project represents an exceptional collaboration linking academic research, the education system, and the wider community.


Using measurements from an electric fi eld mill installed at the Centre for Technological Education (Roter House) in Holon—supported by the Ministry of Education and the Holon municipality—alongside high-resolution air-quality and meteorological data, the researchers examined how fi ne particulate matter (PM2.5


) and nitrogen oxides (NOx )


infl uence the atmospheric potential gradient, a key indicator of the electric fi eld under fair- weather conditions. “We see a direct physical connection between emission peaks and electrical variability,” said Dr. Yaniv. “Nitrogen


oxides reduce atmospheric conductivity very quickly, so the electric fi eld responds almost immediately during traffi c rush hours.” In contrast, PM2.5


produces a more gradual


response, refl ecting its longer lifetime in the atmosphere and different microphysical behaviour.


The study also reveals a strong “weekend effect.” On Fridays and Saturdays, when traffi c and industrial activity in Israel drop sharply, concentrations of NOx


and PM2.5 fall—and


the atmospheric electric fi eld weakens in parallel. “This weekend signal shows just how sensitive the electric fi eld is to changes in human activity,” the researchers noted. “When emissions decline, the electrical environment adjusts right away, offering a high-resolution snapshot of urban atmospheric conditions.”


By demonstrating how urban emissions reshape the near-surface electric fi eld, the research opens new avenues for interdisciplinary approaches to air-quality assessment and public-health preparedness. It also underscores the value of educational– scientifi c partnerships that actively involve high-school students in real-world


18 to keep residents more informed on local air quality.


This poses interesting challenges around the presentation of data. But it brings with it all of the diffi culties of public visibility.


In effect, the audience for the data coming out of monitoring networks is expanding. This will bring professionals together with the public.


We can expect this new audience to demand greater confi dence and clarity from the monitoring community. Digitalisation


Relatedly, all of these trends interact with the ongoing digitalisation of our sector, along with all of the new skills this infrastructure requires.


With data shared more frequently and more widely, as well as the demand for near-real-time reporting, our communication systems need to be as robust as possible.


Taken together, these trends form a trajectory towards a far more integrated and diverse air quality monitoring regime. A regime that is both public facing and highly sophisticated.


For those of us working in this industry, the future will require a whole suite of new skills; many of which we are still in the process of discovering.


Jed Thomas Content Editor,


International Environmental Technology Email: jed@envirotechpubs.com


environmental research. “Combining air-quality measurements with electric-fi eld observations gives us a more complete, moment-by- moment picture of how the lower atmosphere evolves,” the researchers said. “This approach can support both fundamental science and informed environmental decision-making.”


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/ZOVQ 66381pr@reply-direct.com


IET - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026


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