Furuta, Daniel2024-03-292024-03-292024https://hdl.handle.net/11299/261980University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation.--- 2024. Major: Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Advisor: Bruce Wilson. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 102 pages.Pollution research and mitigation efforts rely on the accuracy of data collected by monitoring programs. I present work on improving monitoring protocols for two important pollutants. As a step towards improving the spatiotemporal resolution and lowering the cost of ground-level methane sensing, I design and thoroughly characterize an inexpensive sensor node for near-atmospheric methane monitoring. In an effort to improve stormwater monitoring methods, I develop a new model for runoff pollution and use it to simulate stormwater sampling, resulting in two suggested protocol modifications with the potential to substantially improve accuracy without increased cost. Throughout, I focus in particular on developing devices and methods that will improve monitoring accuracy or increase monitoring resolution at the same or lower cost as current approaches.enThesis or Dissertation