Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in ‘poor’ category: AQI EXPLAINED

The national Capital’s air quality index (AQI), on 20/10/2020, continued to remain in the poor category.

LEARNING FROM HOME/WOTHOUT CLASSES/BASICS

The air quality index (AQI) is an index for reporting air quality on a daily basis. It is a measure of how air pollution affects one’s health within a short time period. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants, for which national air quality standards have been established to safeguard public health.

  • 1. Ground-level ozone
  • 2. Particle pollution/particulate matter (PM2.5/pm 10)
  • 3. Carbon Monoxide
  • 4. Sulfur dioxide
  • 5. Nitrogen dioxide

The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concerns. AQI quickly disseminates air quality information in real-time.

Every day monitors record concentrations of the major pollutants. These raw measurements are converted into a separate AQI value for each pollutant

Air Quality Index Categories

Good (0–50) – Minimal Impact

Satisfactory (51–100) – May cause minor breathing difficulties in sensitive people.

Moderately polluted (101–200) – May cause breathing difficulties in people with lung disease like asthma, and discomfort to people with heart disease, children and older adults.

Poor (201–300) May cause breathing difficulties in people on prolonged exposure, and discomfort to people with heart disease

Very Poor (301–400) May cause respiratory illness in people on prolonged exposure. Effect may be more pronounced in people with lung and heart diseases.

Severe (401-500) May cause respiratory issues in healthy people, and serious health issues in people with lung/heart disease. Difficulties may be experienced even during light physical activity.

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