Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
This would work fine, except in terms of success.

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Air pollution sensor

take apart a radioactive smoke detector, then jigger the capacitors to detect PPM instead, measuring trace particulates
 
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Take a radioactive smoke detector apart and you find a radioemitter and a what I think is a two plate capacitor that varies its charge with ionization.

Why not just change the circuit (RC + amplifier) to have electron variation amplified 1000 times.

The new detector could sense eentsy amounts of particulate air pollution. It could be as cheap as radioactive smoke detectors were.

I know, they use optics now, and a laser emitter/detector pair would most likely work better, but this version is radioactive!

beanangel, Nov 24 2018

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       I'm not sure this would work - I imagine that you're up against inherent electronic noise.
MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 24 2018
  

       I think cloud chambers work on one atomic decay.   

       If it does work it would be a nifty project for electronics magazines, and you might be able to put the detector side in a little porous bag to screen out everything but the PM 2.5
beanangel, Nov 24 2018
  

       If you have a PM2.5 filter, you'll need a pump to move air through the sensor.
8th of 7, Nov 24 2018
  
      
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