PROJECT PROPOSAL REPORT

Air Quality Index (AQI)

Monitoring & Alert System
Using Arduino UNO | MQ135 & MQ2 Gas Sensors | LCD Display

Good Moderate Unhealthy* Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Hazardous

Submitted By: Student / Project Team Name

Department: Electronics & Computer Engineering

Institution: Your College / Institute Name

Guided By: Prof. / Mr. / Dr. [Mentor Name]

Academic Year: 2024 – 2025

Date: April 10, 2026

Air Quality Index (AQI) Meter — Project Proposal Report

AQI Monitoring & Alert System | Project Proposal Report

1. Abstract

Air pollution is one of the most critical environmental challenges of the modern era. With increasing
vehicular emissions, industrial discharge, and burning of fossil fuels, the air we breathe has become a
health hazard. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized measure used to communicate the level of
air pollution and its potential health effects to the general public.

This project proposes the design and development of a portable, low-cost AQI Monitoring and Alert
System using an Arduino UNO microcontroller. The system employs MQ135 and MQ2 gas sensors to
detect harmful gases such as CO2, NH3, Benzene, CO, LPG, and smoke. The measured data is
displayed in real time on a 16x2 LCD screen. When pollution levels cross a dangerous threshold, a
buzzer and red LED are triggered to alert the user.

This project is ideal for households, classrooms, laboratories, and industrial areas to provide a quick,
cost-effective air quality reading without requiring expensive professional equipment.

2. Introduction

Air quality directly affects human health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air
pollution causes approximately 7 million premature deaths each year. Key pollutants include:

• Carbon Monoxide (CO) — produced by incomplete combustion of fuels

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) — greenhouse gas, causes oxygen displacement at high levels
• Ammonia (NH3) — from fertilizers, waste, livestock
• Benzene (C6H6) — carcinogenic, found in fuel vapors
• LPG / Smoke — from cooking gas leaks and fires

The AQI scale, standardized by environmental agencies worldwide, converts pollutant concentrations
into a single number ranging from 0 to 500. This project implements a hardware-based AQI meter that:

1. Continuously reads air quality using dual gas sensors

2. Calculates and displays an AQI value in real time
3. Triggers audio-visual alerts for hazardous conditions
4. Operates on standard USB power (5V) — portable and affordable

3. AQI Scale Reference

The following table shows the standard AQI categories used in this project:

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AQI Category AQI Range Health Implications

Good 0 – 50 Air quality is satisfactory; little or no risk

Moderate 51 – 100 Acceptable; some pollutants may be a concern for

sensitive individuals

Unhealthy 101 – 150 Health effects for sensitive groups; general public less
(Sensitive) likely affected

Unhealthy 151 – 200 Everyone may experience health effects; sensitive

groups more seriously affected

Very Unhealthy 201 – 300 Health warnings; everyone may experience serious
health effects

Hazardous 301 – 500 Emergency conditions; entire population likely to be

affected

4. Objectives

• To design an affordable and portable AQI monitoring device using Arduino UNO
• To measure concentrations of multiple harmful gases using MQ135 and MQ2 sensors
• To display real-time AQI readings on a 16x2 LCD with I2C communication
• To implement an alert system using a buzzer and red LED when AQI exceeds safe limits
• To demonstrate how embedded systems can be used for environmental monitoring
• To provide an educational prototype suitable for academic and community use

5. Components Required

The following hardware components are required to build the AQI Meter:

S.N
Component Name Specifications / Details Qty
o

ATmega328P, 14 Digital I/O, 6 Analog,

1 Arduino UNO 1
5V/16MHz

2 Breadboard Full-size (830 tie-points), solderless 1

Male-to-Male, Male-to-Female mixed

3 Jumper Wires (Rainbow) 1 set
pack

For Arduino programming and 5V

4 USB Cable (Type B) 1
power supply

Detects NH3, NOx, Alcohol, Benzene,

5 MQ135 Gas Sensor 1
CO2, Smoke

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Detects LPG, Butane, Propane,

6 MQ2 Gas Sensor 1
Methane, CO, Smoke

HD44780 controller, 5V, 16 columns x

7 16x2 LCD Display 1
2 rows

PCF8574 I2C LCD adapter, Address:

8 I2C Module (for LCD) 1
0x27 / 0x3F

9 Buzzer Active buzzer, 5V, ~2400 Hz, ≤30mA 1

5mm Red LED, 2.0V forward voltage,

10 LED (Red) 1
20mA

220Ω (LED), 10kΩ (pull-down) —

11 Resistors 3-5
assorted

100nF / 10µF decoupling capacitors

12 Capacitors 2
(optional noise filtering)

6. Component Descriptions

6.1 Arduino UNO

The Arduino UNO is the main microcontroller board of this project. It is based on the ATmega328P chip
and operates at 5V with a 16 MHz clock speed. It provides 14 digital I/O pins and 6 analog input pins.
The Arduino reads analog sensor values from MQ135 and MQ2, processes the data, controls the LCD
via I2C, and drives the buzzer and LED.

Key features used in this project:

• Analog pins A0 & A1 — for MQ135 and MQ2 sensor readings
• Digital pins 7, 8 — for buzzer and LED control
• I2C pins (SDA = A4, SCL = A5) — for LCD communication
• USB port — for programming and 5V power supply

6.2 MQ135 Gas Sensor

The MQ135 is a chemical gas sensor that detects a wide variety of harmful gases in the air. It uses a tin
dioxide (SnO2) sensing element whose resistance changes in the presence of target gases. The
sensor outputs an analog voltage proportional to the gas concentration.

Gases Detected:
• Ammonia (NH3)
• Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
• Alcohol / Ethanol
• Benzene (C6H6)
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

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• Smoke particles

Operating voltage: 5V DC | Preheat time: 24–48 hours (for calibration accuracy) | Output: Analog (0–
5V)

6.3 MQ2 Gas Sensor

The MQ2 sensor complements the MQ135 by detecting flammable and combustible gases. It is widely
used in gas leak detection alarms and is well-suited to detect smoke from fires or LPG leaks — critical
safety applications.

Gases Detected:
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
• Butane and Propane
• Methane (CH4)
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Smoke and Hydrogen

Operating voltage: 5V DC | Sensitivity range: 300–10,000 ppm | Output: Analog (0–5V)

6.4 16x2 LCD Display with I2C Module

The 16x2 LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) can show 2 lines of 16 characters each. It uses the HD44780
controller. The I2C module (PCF8574 chip) is soldered to the back of the LCD to reduce wiring —
instead of 16 wires, only 4 wires are needed (VCC, GND, SDA, SCL), freeing up GPIO pins on the
Arduino.

Display shows:
• Line 1: AQI value and gas level category (e.g., Good / Moderate / Hazardous)
• Line 2: Dominant gas detected and sensor analog reading

6.5 Buzzer (Active)

An active buzzer contains an internal oscillator circuit and produces a fixed-frequency beep (~2400 Hz)
when powered at 5V. In this project, the buzzer is activated when the AQI exceeds a threshold of 150
(Unhealthy). The Arduino controls it via a digital output pin.

6.6 LED (Red)

A red 5mm LED serves as a visual alert indicator. It lights up simultaneously with the buzzer when
dangerous AQI levels are detected. A 220Ω current-limiting resistor is placed in series with the LED to
prevent excess current and ensure safe operation.

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AQI Monitoring & Alert System | Project Proposal Report

6.7 Resistors
Resistors are passive components used to limit current flow. In this project:
• 220Ω resistor — in series with the red LED to limit current to ~15mA
• 10kΩ resistors — used as pull-down or pull-up resistors for stable digital readings

6.8 Capacitors
Electrolytic (10µF) and ceramic (100nF) capacitors are used optionally as decoupling capacitors near
sensor power pins. They smooth voltage fluctuations, reduce electrical noise from the sensors, and
ensure stable analog readings from MQ135 and MQ2.

7. System Block Diagram

The figure below represents the high-level system architecture of the AQI Meter:

Figure 1: AQI Meter System Block Diagram

Signal Flow:
• MQ135 and MQ2 sensors → Arduino UNO (Analog Input pins A0, A1)
• Arduino UNO → 16x2 LCD via I2C Module (SDA/SCL) → Real-time display
• Arduino UNO → Buzzer (Digital Pin 7) → Audio alert at AQI > 150
• Arduino UNO → Red LED + 220Ω resistor (Digital Pin 8) → Visual alert
• USB Cable → Arduino UNO → 5V regulated power to all components

8. Circuit Connections

8.1 MQ135 Gas Sensor → Arduino

MQ135 Pin → Arduino UNO Pin

VCC → 5V

GND → GND

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AOUT (Analog Output) → A0 (Analog Pin 0)

8.2 MQ2 Gas Sensor → Arduino

Same as MQ135 pinout — connect AOUT of MQ2 to Arduino Analog Pin A1 (VCC → 5V, GND →
GND).

8.3 I2C LCD → Arduino

I2C LCD Pin → Arduino UNO Pin

VCC → 5V

GND → GND

SDA → A4 (SDA)

SCL → A5 (SCL)

8.4 Buzzer & LED → Arduino

• Buzzer (+) → Arduino Digital Pin 7 | Buzzer (−) → GND
• LED Anode (+) → 220Ω resistor → Arduino Digital Pin 8 | LED Cathode (−) → GND

9. Working Principle

The AQI Meter operates using the following step-by-step logic:

5. Power On: The system initializes when the Arduino receives 5V power via USB. The LCD
displays a startup message.
6. Sensor Warm-up: MQ135 and MQ2 sensors take approximately 30–60 seconds to warm up and
provide stable readings (heating element inside the sensor module must reach operating
temperature).
7. Data Acquisition: Arduino reads analog voltage values from A0 (MQ135) and A1 (MQ2) using its
10-bit ADC. Values range from 0 to 1023.
8. AQI Calculation: The raw analog values are mapped to a PPM (parts per million) range and then
to the AQI scale (0–500) using a linear/logarithmic formula based on calibration curves.
9. Display Output: The calculated AQI value and category (Good / Moderate / Unhealthy /
Hazardous) are shown on Line 1 of the LCD. Line 2 shows the dominant gas sensor reading.
10. Alert System: If AQI > 150 (Unhealthy threshold), the Arduino sets Digital Pin 7 HIGH (buzzer ON)
and Digital Pin 8 HIGH (red LED ON). These remain active until AQI drops below the threshold.
11. Continuous Monitoring: The loop repeats every 2 seconds for continuous real-time monitoring.

10. Arduino Code Overview

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AQI Monitoring & Alert System | Project Proposal Report

Libraries Used:
• LiquidCrystal_I2C.h — For controlling the LCD via I2C protocol
• Wire.h — Arduino's built-in I2C library (included automatically)

Key Code Logic:

• int mq135Val = analogRead(A0); — Reads MQ135 sensor
• int mq2Val = analogRead(A1); — Reads MQ2 sensor
• int aqi = map(mq135Val + mq2Val, 0, 2046, 0, 500); — Maps combined reading to AQI scale
• [Link](aqi); — Displays AQI on LCD
• if (aqi > 150) { digitalWrite(7, HIGH); digitalWrite(8, HIGH); } — Triggers alerts

Note: Actual calibration constants must be set based on sensor datasheet and real-world testing. The
MQ library (by Georg Krocker) can also be used for accurate PPM calculations.

11. Applications

• Home & Kitchen — Detect LPG leaks and cooking smoke

• Classrooms & Libraries — Monitor CO2 levels for ventilation adequacy
• Industrial Workshops — Alert workers to dangerous gas buildup
• Hospitals & Labs — Ensure clean air for sensitive environments
• Smart City Projects — Low-cost outdoor/indoor air monitoring nodes
• Agriculture — Detect ammonia near animal farms and fertilizer storage
• Fire Safety Systems — Early smoke and CO detection before alarms trigger

12. Advantages & Limitations

12.1 Advantages
• Low Cost — Total component cost under ₹500–₹800 (approx.)
• Easy to Build — No soldering required with breadboard prototype
• Dual Sensor — MQ135 + MQ2 covers wider range of harmful gases
• Real-time Display — LCD shows instant AQI reading
• Immediate Alert — Buzzer and LED provide quick warning
• Portable — Powered by 5V USB, can use power bank
• Open Source — Arduino code is freely modifiable

12.2 Limitations
• Accuracy — Analog sensors less precise than professional calibrated equipment

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• Calibration — MQ sensors require 24–48 hour burn-in and periodic recalibration

• Cross-sensitivity — MQ135 may respond to multiple gases simultaneously
• No Data Logging — Current design does not store historical AQI data
• No Wireless — No Wi-Fi/Bluetooth for remote monitoring (can be added with ESP8266)

13. Future Enhancements

• Add ESP8266 / ESP32 Wi-Fi module for IoT-based remote monitoring

• Integrate with ThingSpeak or Blynk for cloud data logging and graphing
• Add GPS module for location-tagged AQI reports
• Replace LCD with OLED for better visibility and lower power consumption
• Include PM2.5 sensor (e.g., PMS5003) for particulate matter monitoring
• Add temperature and humidity sensor (DHT11) for comprehensive environmental data
• Develop Android/iOS app for wireless AQI visualization
• 3D print a custom enclosure for a professional, deployable product

14. Expected Outcome

Upon successful completion of this project, the following outcomes are expected:

• A fully functional AQI Meter prototype on a breadboard

• Real-time gas concentration measurement from MQ135 and MQ2 sensors
• AQI value displayed accurately on 16x2 LCD with category label
• Buzzer and LED alert system activating at AQI threshold of 150
• Demonstrated understanding of sensor interfacing, I2C communication, and threshold logic
• Complete project documentation including circuit diagrams and source code

15. Conclusion

Air pollution is an invisible threat with very real consequences for human health. This project — the AQI
Monitoring and Alert System — addresses this challenge through a practical, accessible, and
educational hardware solution. By leveraging the power of Arduino UNO and combining it with dual gas
sensors, a 16x2 LCD, and an alert mechanism, this system provides real-time, actionable air quality
data to anyone who needs it.

The project reinforces key concepts in embedded systems design: analog sensor reading, I2C serial
communication, digital I/O control, threshold-based logic, and human-machine interface design. It also
lays a strong foundation for future expansion into IoT, smart environments, and city-level environmental
monitoring solutions.

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AQI Monitoring & Alert System | Project Proposal Report

This low-cost, DIY AQI meter demonstrates that environmental monitoring does not require expensive,
professional-grade equipment — awareness and action can start from a simple breadboard.

16. References

12. Arduino Official Documentation — [Link]

13. MQ135 Gas Sensor Datasheet — Hanwei Electronics Co., Ltd.
14. MQ2 Gas Sensor Datasheet — Hanwei Electronics Co., Ltd.
15. LiquidCrystal_I2C Library — Frank de Brabander / DFRobot
16. U.S. EPA AQI Technical Assistance Document — [Link]
17. World Health Organization (WHO) — Air Quality Guidelines, 2021
18. "Arduino Projects for Beginners" — Technology Press
19. PCF8574 I2C Expander Datasheet — Texas Instruments / NXP

— End of Project Proposal Report —

AQI Monitoring & Alert System | Arduino UNO + MQ135 + MQ2 + LCD

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