We present a gas monitoring system for detecting the gas concentration in ambient air. This sensor is based on a 1D photonic crystal formed by alternating layers of magnesium fluoride (MgF2) and silicon (Si) with an empty layer in the middle. The lamellar cavity (defect layer) will be filled with polluted air that has a refractive index close to that of pure air, varying between n0  =  1.00 to n0  =  1.01. The transmission spectrum of this sensor is calculated by the Green function approach. The numerical results show that the transmission peak, which appears in the gap, is caused by the infiltration of impure air into the empty middle layer. This transmission peak can be used for detection purposes in real-time environmental monitoring. The peak frequency is sensitive to the air-gas mixture, and a variation in the refractive index as small as Δn  =  10−5 can be detected. A sensitivity, Δλ/Δn, of 700 nm per refractive index unit (RIU) is achieved with this sensor.