Air quality index

An air quality index (AQI) is a number used bygovernment agencies [1] to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently
is or how polluted it is forecast to become.[2][3] As the AQI increases, an increasingly large percentage of the population is likely to
experience increasingly severe adverse health effects. Different countries have their own air quality indices, corresponding to
different national air quality standards. Some of these are the Air Quality Health Index (Canada), the Air Pollution Index (Malaysia),
and the Pollutant Standards Index(Singapore).

Contents
1 Definition and usage
2 Indices by location
2.1 Canada
2.2 Hong Kong
2.3 Mainland China
2.4 India Smog builds up under an inversion in
2.5 Mexico Almaty, Kazakhstan resulting in a high
2.6 Singapore AQI
2.7 South Korea
2.8 United Kingdom
2.9 Europe
2.9.1 The hourly and daily common indices
2.9.2 The common annual air quality index
2.10 United States
2.10.1 Computing the AQI
2.10.2 Public Availability of the AQI
2.10.3 History of the AQI

3 See also
4 References
5 External links

Wildfires give rise to an elevated

AQI in parts of Greece
Definition and usage
Computation of the AQI requires an air pollutant concentration over a specified
averaging period, obtained from an air monitor or model. Taken together,
concentration and time represent the dose of the air pollutant. Health effects
corresponding to a given dose are established by epidemiological research.[4] Air
pollutants vary in potency, and the function used to convert from air pollutant
concentration to AQI varies by pollutant. Air quality index values are typically
grouped into ranges. Each range is assigned a descriptor, a color code, and a
standardized public health advisory.

The AQI can increase due to an increase of air emissions (for example, during rush An air quality measurement station in
hour traffic or when there is an upwind forest fire) or from a lack of dilution of air Edinburgh, Scotland
pollutants. Stagnant air, often caused by an anticyclone, temperature inversion, or
low wind speeds lets air pollution remain in a local area, leading to high concentrations of pollutants, chemical reactions between air
contaminants and hazy conditions.[5]

On a day when the AQI is predicted to be elevated due to fine particle pollution, an
agency or public health organization might:

advise sensitive groups, such as the elderly

, children, and those with
[6]
respiratory or cardiovascular problems to avoid outdoor exertion.
declare an "action day" to encourage voluntary measures to reduce air
emissions, such as using public transportation.[7]

recommend the use of masks to keep fine particles from entering the
lungs[8]
During a period of very poor air quality, such as an air pollution episode, when the
Signboard in Gulfton, Houston
AQI indicates that acute exposure may cause significant harm to the public health,
indicating an ozone watch
agencies may invoke emergency plans that allow them to order major emitters (such
as coal burning industries) to curtail emissions until the hazardous conditions
abate.[9]

Most air contaminants do not have an associated AQI. Many countries monitor ground-level ozone, particulates, sulfur dioxide,
[10]
carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, and calculate air quality indices for these pollutants.

The definition of the AQI in a particular nation reflects the discourse surrounding the development of national air quality standards in
that nation.[11] A website allowing government agencies anywhere in the world to submit their real-time air monitoring data for
[12]
display using a common definition of the air quality index has recently become available.

Indices by location

Canada
Air quality in Canada has been reported for many years with provincial Air Quality Indices (AQIs). Significantly, AQI values reflect
air quality management objectives, which are based on the lowest achievable emissions rate, and not exclusively concern for human
health. The Air Quality Health Index or (AQHI) is a scale designed to help understand the impact of air quality on health. It is a
health protection tool used to make decisions to reduce short-term exposure to air pollution by adjusting activity levels during
increased levels of air pollution. The Air Quality Health Index also provides advice on how to improve air quality by proposing
behavioural change to reduce the environmental footprint. This index pays particular attention to people who are sensitive to air
pollution. It provides them with advice on how to protect their health during air quality levels associated with low, moderate, high
and very high health risks.

The Air Quality Health Index provides a number from 1 to 10+ to indicate the level of health risk associated with local air quality.
On occasion, when the amount of air pollution is abnormally high, the number may exceed 10. The AQHI provides a local air quality
current value as well as a local air quality maximums forecast for today, tonight, and tomorrow, and provides associated health
advice.[13]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 +

Risk: Low (1–3) Moderate (4–6) High (7–10) Very high (above 10)
 Air
Health Quality
Health Messages
Risk Health
Index
At Risk population *General Population
Low 1–3 Enjoy your usual outdoor activities. Ideal air quality for outdoor activities
Consider reducing or rescheduling No need to modify your usual outdoor activities
Moderate 4–6 strenuous activities outdoors if you are unless you experience symptoms such as
experiencing symptoms. coughing and throat irritation.
Reduce or reschedule strenuous Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous
High 7–10 activities outdoors. Children and the activities outdoors if you experience symptoms
elderly should also take it easy. such as coughing and throat irritation.
Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities
Very Above
Children and the elderly should also outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms
high 10
avoid outdoor physical exertion. such as coughing and throat irritation.

Hong Kong
On the 30th December 2013 Hong Kong replaced the Air Pollution Index with a new index called the Air Quality Health Index.[14]
This index is on a scale of 1 to 10+ and considers four air pollutants: ozone; nitrogen dioxide; sulphur dioxide and particulate matter
(including PM10 and PM2.5). For any given hour the AQHI is calculated from the sum of the percentage excess risk of daily hospital
admissions attributable to the 3-hour moving average concentrations of these four pollutants. The AQHIs are grouped into five AQHI
[15]
health risk categories with health advice provided:

Health risk category AQHI

1
Low 2
3
4
Medium 5
6
High 7
8
Very High 9
10
Serious 10+

Each of the health risk categories has advice with it. At the low and moderate levels the public are advised that they can continue
normal activities. For the high category, children, the elderly and people with heart or respiratory illnesses are advising to reduce
outdoor physical exertion. Above this (very high or serious) the general public are also advised to reduce or avoid outdoor physical
exertion.

Mainland China
China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) is responsible for measuring the level of air pollution in China. As of 1 January
2013, MEP monitors daily pollution level in 163 of its major cities. The Air Pollution Index (API) level is based on the level of 6
atmospheric pollutants, namely sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), suspended particulates smaller than 10 μm in
aerodynamic diameter (PM10), suspended particulates smaller than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5 ) ， carbon monoxide
.[16]
(CO), and ozone (O3) measured at the monitoring stations throughout each city

AQI Mechanics
An individual score (IAQI) is assigned to the level of each pollutant and the final AQI is the highest of those 6 scores. The pollutants
can be measured quite differently. PM2.5 、PM10 concentration are measured as average per 24h. SO2, NO2, O3, CO are measured as
.[17]
average per hour. The final API value is calculated per hour according to a formula published by the MEP

The scale for each pollutant is non-linear, as is the final AQI score. Thus an AQI of 100 does not mean twice the pollution of AQI at
50, nor does it mean twice as harmful. While an AQI of 50 from day 1 to 182 and AQI of 100 from day 183 to 365 does provide an
annual average of 75, it does not mean the pollution is acceptable even if the benchmark of 100 is deemed safe. This is because the
benchmark is a 24-hour target. The annual average must match against the annual target. It is entirely possible to have safe air every
[16]
day of the year but still fail the annual pollution benchmark.

AQI and Health Implications (HJ 663-2012)[16]

Air Pollution
AQI Health Implications
Level
0–50 Excellent No health implications.
51–100 Good Few hypersensitive individuals should reduce outdoor exercise.
Slight irritations may occur, individuals with breathing or heart
101–150 Lightly Polluted
problems should reduce outdoor exercise.
Slight irritations may occur, individuals with breathing or heart
151–200 Moderately Polluted
problems should reduce outdoor exercise.
Healthy people will be noticeably affected. People with breathing or
heart problems will experience reduced endurance in activities.
201–300 Heavily Polluted
These individuals and elders should remain indoors and restrict
activities.
Healthy people will experience reduced endurance in activities.
There may be strong irritations and symptoms and may trigger other
300+ Severely Polluted
illnesses. Elders and the sick should remain indoors and avoid
exercise. Healthy individuals should avoid outdoor activities.

India
The Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar launched The National Air Quality Index (AQI) in
New Delhi on 17 September 2014 under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. It is outlined as ‘One Number- One Colour-One Description’
for the common man to judge the air quality within his/her vicinity. The index constitutes part of the Government’s mission to
introduce the culture of cleanliness.[18] Institutional and infrastructural measures are being undertaken in order to ensure that the
mandate of cleanliness is fulfilled across the country and the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change proposed to
discuss the issues concerned regarding quality of air with the Ministry of Human Resource Development in order to include this issue
as part of the sensitisation programme in the course curriculum.

While the earlier measuring index was limited to three indicators, the current measurement index had been made quite
comprehensive by the addition of five additional parameters. Under the current measurement of air quality there are 8 parameters .
The initiatives undertaken by the Ministry recently aimed at balancing environment and conservation and development as air
[19]
pollution has been a matter of environmental and health concerns, particularly in urban areas.

The Central Pollution Control Boardalong with State Pollution Control Boards has been operating National Air Monitoring Program
[20] In addition, continuous monitoring systems
(NAMP) covering 240 cities of the country having more than 342 monitoring stations.
that provide data on near real-time basis are also installed in a few cities. They provide information on air quality in public domain in
simple linguistic terms that is easily understood by a common person.[21] Air Quality Index (AQI) is one such tool for effective
dissemination of air quality information to people. As such an Expert Group comprising medical professionals, air quality experts,
academia, advocacy groups, and SPCBs was constituted and a technical study was awarded to
IIT Kanpur. IIT Kanpur and the Expert
Group recommended an AQI scheme in 2014.[22]

There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. The proposed AQI will
consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5 , NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period)
National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.[23] Based on the measured ambient concentrations, corresponding standards
and likely health impact, a sub-index is calculated for each of these pollutants. The worst sub-index reflects overall AQI. Associated
likely health impacts for different AQI categories and pollutants have been also been suggested, with primary inputs from the medical
expert members of the group. The AQI values and corresponding ambient concentrations (health breakpoints) as well as associated
likely health impacts for the identified eight pollutants are as follows:

AQI Category, Pollutants and Health Breakpoints

PM10 PM2.5 NO2 O3 CO SO2 NH3 Pb
AQI Category (Range)
(24hr) (24hr) (24hr) (8hr) (8hr) (24hr) (24hr) (24hr)

Good (0–50) 0–50 0–30 0–40 0–50 0–1.0 0–40 0–200 0–0.5
51– 1.1–
Satisfactory (51–100) 51–100 31–60 41–80 41–80 201–400 0.5–1.0
100 2.0
Moderately polluted 101–
101–250 61–90 81–180 2.1–10 81–380 401–800 1.1–2.0
(101–200) 168
169– 801–
Poor (201–300) 251–350 91–120 181–280 10–17 381–800 2.1–3.0
208 1200
209– 801– 1200–
Very poor (301–400) 351–430 121–250 281–400 17–34 3.1–3.5
748 1600 1800
Severe (401–500) 430+ 250+ 400+ 748+ 34+ 1600+ 1800+ 3.5+

AQI Associated Health Impacts

Good (0–50) Minimal impact
Satisfactory
May cause minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
(51–100)
Moderately
May cause breathing discomfort to people with lung disease such as asthma, and discomfort to
polluted (101–
people with heart disease, children and older adults.
200)
Poor (201– May cause breathing discomfort to people on prolonged exposure, and discomfort to people with
300) heart disease.
Very poor May cause respiratory illness to the people on prolonged exposure. Ef
fect may be more pronounced
(301–400) in people with lung and heart diseases.
Severe (401– May cause respiratory impact even on healthy people, and serious health impacts on people with
500) lung/heart disease. The health impacts may be experienced even during light physical activity
.

Mexico
The air quality in Mexico City is reported in IMECAs. The IMECA is calculated using the measurements of average times of the
chemicals ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers
(PM2.5 ), and particles smaller than 10 micrometers (PM10).[24]

Singapore
Singapore uses the Pollutant Standards Indexto report on its air quality,[25] with details of the calculation similar but not identical to
that used in Malaysia and Hong Kong[26] The PSI chart below is grouped by index values and descriptors, according to the National
Environment Agency.[27]

PSI Descriptor General Health Effects

0–50 None
51–100 Moderate Few or none for the general population
Mild aggravation of symptoms among susceptible persons i.e. those
with underlying conditions such as chronic heart or lung ailments;
101–200 Unhealthy
transient symptoms of irritation e.g. eye irritation, sneezing or
coughing in some of the healthy population.
Moderate aggravation of symptoms and decreased tolerance in
201–300 Very Unhealthy persons with heart or lung disease; more widespread symptoms of
transient irritation in the healthy population.
Early onset of certain diseases in addition to significant aggravation
301–400 Hazardous of symptoms in susceptible persons; and decreased exercise
tolerance in healthy persons.
PSI levels above 400 may be life-threatening to ill and elderly
Above 400 Hazardous persons. Healthy people may experience adverse symptoms that
affect normal activity.

South Korea
The Ministry of Environment of South Korea uses the Comprehensive Air-quality Index (CAI) to describe the ambient air quality
based on the health risks of air pollution. The index aims to help the public easily understand the air quality and protect people's
health. The CAI is on a scale from 0 to 500, which is divided into five categories. The higher the CAI value, the greater the level of
air pollution. Of values of the five air pollutants, the highest is the CAI value. The index also has associated health effects and a
.[28]
colour representation of the categories as shown below

CAI Description Health Implications

A level that will not impact patients suffering from
0–50 Good
diseases related to air pollution.
A level that may have a meager impact on patients
51–100 Moderate
in case of chronic exposure.
A level that may have harmful impacts on patients
101–150 Unhealthy for sensitive groups
and members of sensitive groups.
A level that may have harmful impacts on patients
and members of sensitive groups (children, aged
151–250 Unhealthy
or weak people), and also cause the general public
unpleasant feelings.
A level that may have a serious impact on patients
251–500 Very unhealthy and members of sensitive groups in case of acute
exposure.

The N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul, South Korea, is illuminated in blue, from sunset to 23:00 and 22:00 in
winter, on days where the air quality in Seoul is 50 or less. During the spring of 2012, the Tower was lit up for 52 days, which is four
days more than in 2011.[29]

United Kingdom
The most commonly used air quality index in the UK is the Daily Air Quality Index recommended by the Committee on Medical
Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).[30] This index has ten points, which are further grouped into 4 bands: low, moderate, high and
[31]
very high. Each of the bands comes with advice for at-risk groups and the general population.

Air
Health messages for
pollution Value Health messages for At-risk individuals
General population
banding
Enjoy your usual outdoor
Low 1–3 Enjoy your usual outdoor activities.
activities.
Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart
Enjoy your usual outdoor
Moderate 4–6 problems, who experience symptoms, should consider reducing
activities.
strenuous physical activity, particularly outdoors.
Anyone experiencing
Adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart
discomfort such as sore
problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly
eyes, cough or sore
High 7–9 outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms. People
throat should consider
with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more
reducing activity,
often. Older people should also reduce physical exertion.
particularly outdoors.
Reduce physical exertion,
Adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems, particularly outdoors,
Very and older people, should avoid strenuous physical activity
. People especially if you
10
High with asthma may find they need to use their reliever inhaler more experience symptoms
often. such as cough or sore
throat.

The index is based on the concentrations of 5 pollutants. The index is calculated from the concentrations of the following pollutants:
Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, PM2.5 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) and PM10. The
breakpoints between index values are defined for each pollutant separately and the overall index is defined as the maximum value of
the index. Different averaging periods are used for different pollutants.[31]

Ozone, Running 8 Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, PM2.5 Particles, PM10 Particles,
Index hourly mean Hourly mean 15 minute mean 24 hour mean 24 hour mean
(μg/m3) (μg/m3) (μg/m3) (μg/m3) (μg/m3)
1 0–33 0–67 0–88 0–11 0–16
2 34–66 68–134 89–177 12–23 17–33
3 67–100 135–200 178–266 24–35 34–50
4 101–120 201–267 267–354 36–41 51–58
5 121–140 268–334 355–443 42–47 59–66
6 141–160 335–400 444–532 48–53 67–75
7 161–187 401–467 533–710 54–58 76–83
8 188-213 468–534 711–887 59–64 84–91
9 214–240 535–600 888–1064 65–70 92–100
10 ≥ 241 ≥ 601 ≥ 1065 ≥ 71 ≥ 101

Europe
To present the air quality situation in European cities in a comparable and easily understandable way, all detailed measurements are
transformed into a single relative figure: the Common Air Quality Index (or CAQI) Three different indices have been developed by
Citeair to enable the comparison of three different time scale:.[32][33]

An hourly index, which describes the air quality today

, based on hourly values and updated every hours,
 A daily index, which stands for the general air quality situation of yesterday
, based on daily values and updated once
a day,
An annual index, which represents the city's general air quality conditions throughout the year and compare to
European air quality norms. This index is based on the pollutants year average compare to annual limit values, and
updated once a year.
However, the proposed indices and the supporting common web site www.airqualitynow.eu are designed to give a dynamic picture of
[33]
the air quality situation in each city but not for compliance checking.

The hourly and daily common indices

These indices have 5 levels using a scale from 0 (very low) to > 100 (very high), it is a relative measure of the amount of air
pollution. They are based on 3 pollutants of major concern in Europe: PM10, NO2, O3 and will be able to take into account to 3
additional pollutants (CO, PM2.5 and SO2) where data are also available.

The calculation of the index is based on a review of a number of existing air quality indices, and it reflects EU alert threshold levels
or daily limit values as much as possible. In order to make cities more comparable, independent of the nature of their monitoring
network two situations are defined:

Background, representing the general situation of the given agglomeration (based on urban background monitoring
sites),
Roadside, being representative of city streets with a lot of traf
fic, (based on roadside monitoring stations)
[33]
The indices values are updated hourly (for those cities that supply hourly data) and yesterdays daily indices are presented.

Common air quality index legend:

Pollution Index Value

Very low 0/25
Low 25/50
Medium 50/75
High 75/100
Very high >100

The common annual air quality index

The common annual air quality index provides a general overview of the air quality situation in a given city all the year through and
regarding to the European norms.

It is also calculated both for background and traffic conditions but its principle of calculation is different from the hourly and daily
indices. It is presented as a distance to a target index, this target being derived from the EU directives (annual air quality standards
and objectives):

If the index is higher than 1: for one or more pollutants the limit values are not met.
If the index is below 1: on average the limit values are met.
The annual index is aimed at better taking into account long term exposure to air pollution based on distance to the target set by the
EU annual norms, those norms being linked most of the time to recommendations and health protection set up by World Health
Organisation.[33]

United States
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed an Air Quality Index that is used to report air quality. This
AQI is divided into six categories indicating increasing levels of health concern. An AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air
quality and below 50 the air quality is good.[10]
 PM2.5 24-Hour AQI Loop, Courtesy
US EPA

Air Quality Index Levels of Health Colors

(AQI) Values Concern
0 to 50 Good Green
51 to 100 Moderate Yellow
101 to 150 Unhealthy for Orange
Sensitive Groups
151 to 200 Unhealthy Red
201 to 300 Very Unhealthy Purple
301 to 500 Hazardous Maroon
The AQI is based on the five "criteria" pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The EP
A has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards(NAAQS) for each
of these pollutants in order to protect public health. An AQI value of 100 generally corresponds to the level of the NAAQS for the
pollutant.[10] The Clean Air Act (USA) (1990)requires EPA to review its National Ambient Air Quality Standardsevery five years to
reflect evolving health effects information. The Air Quality Index is adjusted periodically to reflect these changes.

Computing the AQI

The air quality index is a piecewise linear functionof the pollutant concentration. At the boundary between AQI categories, there is a
[34]
discontinuous jump of one AQI unit. To convert from concentration to AQI this equation is used:

where:

= the (Air Quality) index,

= the pollutant concentration,
= the concentration breakpoint that is ≤ ,
= the concentration breakpoint that is ≥ ,
= the index breakpoint corresponding to ,
= the index breakpoint corresponding to .

EPA's table of breakpoints is:[35][36][37]

 PM2.5 PM10 CO SO2 NO2
O3 (ppb) O3 (ppb) AQI AQI
(µg/m3) (µg/m3) (ppm) (ppb) (ppb)

Clow - Clow - Clow - Clow - Clow - Clow -

Clow - Ilow -
Chigh Chigh Chigh Chigh Chigh Chigh Category
Chigh (avg) Ihigh
(avg) (avg) (avg) (avg) (avg) (avg)
0-54 (8- 0.0-12.0 0-54 (24- 0.0-4.4 0-35 (1- 0-53 (1-
- 0-50 Good
hr) (24-hr) hr) (8-hr) hr) hr)
55-70 (8- 12.1-35.4 55-154 4.5-9.4 36-75 (1- 54-100 51-
- Moderate
hr) (24-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) hr) (1-hr) 100
71-85 (8- 125-164 35.5-55.4 155-254 9.5-12.4 76-185 101-360 101- Unhealthy for
hr) (1-hr) (24-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) (1-hr) (1-hr) 150 Sensitive Groups
86-105 165-204 55.5-150.4 255-354 12.5-15.4 186-304 361-649 151-
Unhealthy
(8-hr) (1-hr) (24-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) (1-hr) (1-hr) 200
150.5-
106-200 205-404 355-424 15.5-30.4 305-604 650-1249 201-
250.4 (24- Very Unhealthy
(8-hr) (1-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) (24-hr) (1-hr) 300
hr)
250.5- 1250-
405-504 425-504 30.5-40.4 605-804 301-
- 350.4 (24- 1649 (1-
(1-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) (24-hr) 400
hr) hr)
Hazardous
350.5- 1650-
505-604 505-604 40.5-50.4 805-1004 401-
- 500.4 (24- 2049 (1-
(1-hr) (24-hr) (8-hr) (24-hr) 500
hr) hr)

Suppose a monitor records a 24-hour average fine particle (PM2.5 ) concentration of 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter. The equation
above results in an AQI of:

corresponding to air quality in the "Good" range. To convert an air pollutant concentration to an AQI, EPA has developed a
calculator.[38]

If multiple pollutants are measured at a monitoring site, then the largest or "dominant" AQI value is reported for the location. The
ozone AQI between 100 and 300 is computed by selecting the larger of the AQI calculated with a 1-hour ozone value and the AQI
computed with the 8-hour ozone value.

8-hour ozone averages do not define AQI values greater than 300; AQI values of 301 or greater are calculated with 1-hour ozone
concentrations. 1-hour SO2 values do not define higher AQI values greater than 200. AQI values of 201 or greater are calculated with
24-hour SO2 concentrations.

Real time monitoring data from continuous monitors are typically available as 1-hour averages. However
, computation of the AQI for
some pollutants requires averaging over multiple hours of data. (For example, calculation of the ozone AQI requires computation of
an 8-hour average and computation of the PM2.5 or PM10 AQI requires a 24-hour average.) To accurately reflect the current air
quality, the multi-hour average used for the AQI computation should be centered on the current time, but as concentrations of future
hours are unknown and are difficult to estimate accurately, EPA uses surrogate concentrations to estimate these multi-hour averages.
For reporting the PM2.5 , PM10 and ozone air quality indices, this surrogate concentration is called the NowCast. The Nowcast is a
particular type of weighted average that provides more weight to the most recent air quality data when air pollution levels are
changing.[39][40]

Public Availability of the AQI

Real time monitoring data and forecasts of air quality that are color-coded in terms of the air quality index are available from EPA's
AirNow web site.[41] Historical air monitoring data including AQI charts and maps are available at EP
A's AirData website.[42]
History of the AQI
The AQI made its debut in 1968, when the National Air Pollution Control Administration undertook an initiative to develop an air
quality index and to apply the methodology toMetropolitan Statistical Areas. The impetus was to draw public attention to the issue of
air pollution and indirectly push responsible local public of
ficials to take action to control sources of pollution and enhance air quality
within their jurisdictions.

Jack Fensterstock, the head of the National Inventory of Air Pollution Emissions and Control Branch, was tasked to lead the
development of the methodology and to compile the air quality and emissions data necessary to test and calibrate resultant
indices.[43]

The initial iteration of the air quality index used standardized ambient pollutant concentrations to yield individual pollutant indices.
These indices were then weighted and summed to form a single total air quality index. The overall methodology could use
concentrations that are taken from ambient monitoring data or are predicted by means of a diffusion model. The concentrations were
then converted into a standard statistical distribution with a preset mean and standard deviation. The resultant individual pollutant
indices are assumed to be equally weighted, although values other than unity can be used. Likewise, the index can incorporate any
number of pollutants although it was only used to combine SOx, CO, and TSP because of a lack of available data for other pollutants.

While the methodology was designed to be robust, the practical application for all metropolitan areas proved to be inconsistent due to
the paucity of ambient air quality monitoring data, lack of agreement on weighting factors, and non-uniformity of air quality
standards across geographical and political boundaries. Despite these issues, the publication of lists ranking metropolitan areas
achieved the public policy objectives and led to the future development of improved indices and their routine application.

See also
Air pollution
Indoor air quality

References
1. "International Air Quality"(http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.international). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
2. National Weather Service Corporate Image Web Team. "NOAA's National Weather Service/Environmental Protection
Agency - United States Air Quality Forecast Guidance"(http://airquality.weather.gov/). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
3. https://www.gmes-atmosphere.eu/services/raq/raq_nrt/
4. "Step 2 - Dose-Response Assessment"(http://www.epa.gov/risk_assessment/dose-response.htm). Retrieved
20 August 2015.
5. Myanmar government (2007)."Haze" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070127214023/http://www .kjc.gov.my/english/e
ducation/weather/haze01.html). Archived from the original (http://www.kjc.gov.my/english/education/weather/haze01.
html) on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
6. "Air Quality Index - American Lung Association"(https://web.archive.org/web/20150828143922/http://www .lung.org/h
ealthy-air/outdoor/air-quality-index.html). American Lung Association. Archived from the original (http://www.lung.org/
healthy-air/outdoor/air-quality-index.html)on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
7. "Spare the Air - Summer Spare the Air"(http://www.sparetheair.org/Make-a-Difference/Spare-the-Air-Every-Day/Sum
mer.aspx). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
8. "FAQ: Use of masks and availability of masks" (https://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/pressRoom/Current
_Issues/2014/haze/faq--use-of-masks-and-availability-of-masks.html). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
9. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140903112519/http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/sites/default/files/pre
sentations/1_en_air_pollution_emergency_response_system_-_us_experience_1.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the
original (http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/sites/default/files/presentations/1_en_air_pollution_emergency_response_s
ystem_-_us_experience_1.pdf)(PDF) on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
10. "Air Quality Index (AQI) - A Guide to Air Quality and o
Yur Health" (http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasic
s.aqi). US EPA. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
11. Jay Timmons (13 August 2014)."The EPA's Latest Threat to Economic Growth" (https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-ep
as-latest-threat-to-economic-growth-1407970689)
. WSJ. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
12. "World Air Quality Index" (http://waqi.info/). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
13. "Environment Canada - Air - AQHI categories and explanations"(http://www.ec.gc.ca/cas-aqhi/default.asp?lang=En
&n=79A8041B-1). Ec.gc.ca. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
14. Hsu, Angel. "China's new Air Quality Index: How does it measure up?"(https://web.archive.org/web/2013071703373
3/http://hsu.me/2012/03/chinas-new-air-quality-index-how-does-it-measure-up/). Archived from the original (http://hs
u.me/2012/03/chinas-new-air-quality-index-how-does-it-measure-up/)on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
15. "Air Quality Health Index"(http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/environment/air/aqhi.htm). Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
16. "Focus on urban air quality daily"(https://web.archive.org/web/20041025222827/http://www .sepa.gov.cn/quality/air.p
hp3?offset=60). Archived from the original (http://www.sepa.gov.cn/quality/air.php3?offset=60) on 2004-10-25.
17. "People's Republic of China Ministry of Environmental Protection Standard:echnical
T Regulation on Ambient Air
Quality Index (Chinese PDF)"(http://kjs.mep.gov.cn/hjbhbz/bzwb/dqhjbh/jcgfffbz/201203/W02012041033272521954
1.pdf) (PDF).
18. Rama Lakshmi (17 October 2014)."India launches its own Air Quality Index. Can its numbers be trusted?"(https://w
ww.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/10/17/india-launches-its-own-air-quality-index-can-its-numbers-b
e-trusted/). Washington Post. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
19. "National Air Quality Index (AQI) launched by the Environment Minister AQI is a huge initiative under 'Swachh
Bharat' " (http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=110654)
. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
20. "Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations"(http://www.ppsthane.com/blog/ambient-air-quality-monitoring-stations).
2016-08-15. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
21. "India launches index to measure air quality"(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-lau
nches-index-to-measure-air-quality/etvertical_articleshow/44855452.cms) . timesofindia-economictimes. Retrieved
20 August 2015.
22. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141107224911/http://home.iitk.ac.in/~mukesh/indian%20air%20quali
ty.html). Archived from the original (http://home.iitk.ac.in/~mukesh/indian%20air%20quality
.html) on 2014-11-07.
Retrieved 2014-10-21.
23. "::: Central Pollution Control Board :::"(http://www.cpcb.nic.in). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
24. "Dirección de Monitoreo Atmosférico"(http://www.aire.cdmx.gob.mx/default.php?opc=%2527ZaBhnmI=&dc=%2527
Yg==). www.aire.cdmx.gob.mx. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
25. "MEWR - Key Environment Statistics - Clean Air"(https://web.archive.org/web/20111009052449/http://app.mewr .go
v.sg/web/Contents/Contents.aspx?ContId=52). App.mewr.gov.sg. 2011-06-08. Archived fromthe original (http://app.
mewr.gov.sg/web/Contents/Contents.aspx?ContId=52)on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
26. ."National Environment Agency - Calculation of PSI"(https://web.archive.org/web/20130515095923/http://app2.nea.g
ov.sg/data/cmsresource/20090401682645441976.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://app2.nea.gov.sg/dat
a/cmsresource/20090401682645441976.pdf)(PDF) on 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2012-06-15.
27. "National Environment Agency"(https://web.archive.org/web/20111125033900/http://app2.nea.gov .sg/psi_hazeplan.
aspx). App2.nea.gov.sg. Archived from the original (http://app2.nea.gov.sg/psi_hazeplan.aspx)on 2011-11-25.
Retrieved 2011-11-11.
28. "What's CAI" (http://www.airkorea.or.kr/eng/cai/cai1). Air Korea. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
29. "Improved Air Quality Reflected in N Seoul T
ower" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140304200802/http://english.chos
un.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/05/18/2012051801102.html) . Chosun Ilbo. 18 May 2012. Archived fromthe original
(http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/05/18/2012051801102.html) on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July
2012.
30. COMEAP. "Review of the UK Air Quality Index"(http://comeap.org.uk/documents/130-review-of-the-uk-air-quality-ind
ex.html). COMEAP website.
31. "Daily Air Quality Index"(http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/air-pollution/daqi). Air UK Website. Defra.
32. Garcia, Javier; Colosio, Joëlle (2002).Air-quality indices : elaboration, uses and international comparisons. Presses
des MINES. ISBN 2-911762-36-3.
33. "Indices definition" (http://www.airqualitynow.eu/about_indices_definition.php). Air quality. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
34. http://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqi-technical-assistance-document-dec2013.pdf
35. David Mintz (February 2009).Technical Assistance Document for the Reporting of Daily Air Quality – the Air Quality
Index (AQI) (http://www.epa.gov/airnow/aqi_tech_assistance.pdf) (PDF). North Carolina: US EPA Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards. EPA-454/B-09-001. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
36. Revised Air Quality Standards For Particle Pollution And Updates oTThe Air Quality Index (AQI)(http://www.epa.go
v/pm/2012/decfsstandards.pdf)(PDF). North Carolina: US EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. 2013.
37. http://www3.epa.gov/airquality/ozonepollution/pdfs/20151001fr
.pdf
38. "AQI Calculator: Concentration to AQI"(http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=resources.conc_aqi_calc)
.
Retrieved 9 August 2012.
39. "AirNow API Documentation"(http://www.airnowapi.org/aq101). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
40. "How are your ozone maps calculated?"(http://airnow.supportportal.com/link/portal/23002/23002/Article/16115/How-
are-your-ozone-maps-calculated). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
41. "AirNow" (http://www.airnow.gov/). Retrieved 9 August 2012..
42. "AirData - US Environmental Protection Agency"(http://www.epa.gov/airdata/). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
43. J.C Fensterstock et al., " The Development and Utilization of an Air Quality Index," Paper No. 69–73, presented at
the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Administration, June 1969.

External links
World Air Quality Index
CAQI in Europe- AirqualityNow website
CAI at Airkorea.or.kr - website of South Korea Environmental Management Corp.
AQI at airnow.gov - cross-agency U.S. Government site
New Mexico Air Quality and API data- Example of how New Mexico Environment Department publishes their Air
Quality and API data.
AQI at Meteorological Service of Canada
The UK Air Quality Archive
API at JAS (Malaysian Department of Environment)
API at Hong Kong - Environmental Protection Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
San Francisco Bay Area Spare-the-Air- AQI explanation
Malaysia Air Pollution Index
AQI in Thailand
Unofficial PM25 AQI in Hanoi, Vietnam

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Air_quality_index&oldid=809459516

"

This page was last edited on 9 November 2017, at 06:45.

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.