Use of computer applications on mobile phones to monitor environmental noise in commercial areas of Cajamarca

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using mobile applications on smartphones to monitor ambient noise levels in three commercial areas of Cajamarca: San Martín and San Sebastián markets, as well as the Real Plaza Shopping Center. Simultaneous noise measurements were taken using two free mobile applications downloaded from the Play Store and installed on the researchers' devices (Sound Meter A: Mystic Mobile Apps GPS Tools and Sound Meter B: Splend Apps). In each commercial area, specific points were recorded, such as meat sections and food stalls, obtaining values for 15 seconds with 10-second pauses during daytime over a month. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26 software. The results revealed that the San Martín and San Sebastián markets exhibited significantly higher noise levels than the Shopping Center (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed between noise levels in the meat sections and food stalls (p>0.05). When comparing the noise records with the applications in the three commercial areas, it was found that they exceeded the National Environmental Quality Standards for noise set at 70 dB during daytime. Consequently, it was concluded that the use of these mobile applications on smartphones is feasible for monitoring ambient noise in the commercial areas of Cajamarca.