Methodology and development of air quality measurement protocols for healthier and safer railway system

Kurzfassung

This article presents a generic structure for air quality validation protocols which is organized into ten key components, including test objectives, standard references, protocol levels, considered pollutants, test rig description, usage conditions, measurement tools, test methods, calculation procedures, and reporting requirements. This framework ensures clarity, consistency, and adaptability across various technologies and pollutants. A maturity scale for protocols has been presented to identify their evolution, and a systematic testing strategy complements this structure by addressing particulate matter, VOCs, and biological agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi), with surrogate models used for controlled validation. Pollutants are classified by physical, chemical and/or biological characteristics, and treated according to their domain: air treatment, surface treatment, or air quality measurement. The protocols are also applied across these three activity domains. Each solution is validated at one or more of three levels: component (laboratory), mock-up, and onboard testing (with or without passengers). This multi-level approach supports scalable and repeatable assessments, enabling the progressive development and integration of health-focused technologies in railway environments.