What is unhealthy air quality?
AQI values at and below 100 are generally considered to be satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy, at first for members of populations at greatest risk of a health effect, then for the entire population as AQI values get higher (greater than 150).
What is a normal air quality index?
AQI values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is unhealthy: at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher. The AQI is divided into six categories.
What level of pm2 5 is unhealthy?
24-Hour PM2.5 Levels (μg/m3)
| PM2.5 | Air Quality Index |
|---|---|
| 35.5 to 55.4 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 to 150 |
| 55.5 to 150.4 | Unhealthy 151 to 200 |
| 150.5 to 250.4 | Very Unhealthy 201 to 300 |
| 250.5 to 500.4 | Hazardous 301 to 500 |
What does AQI 153 mean?
Unhealthy. Everyone may begin to experience health effects when AQI values are between 151 and 200. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. AQI values between 201 and 300 trigger a health alert, meaning everyone may experience more serious health effects.
What does PM2 5 do to your body?
Particles in the PM2.5 size range are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Exposure to fine particles can cause short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath.
What is the difference between AQI and PM2 5?
Typically, AQI is calculated based on five categories of pollution: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. As PM 2.5 simply refers to the size of particulate matter, an objective measurement can be taken.
How is AQI calculated?
Most trackers work within the Air Quality Index (AQI), which is calculated by figuring out the average concentration of pollutants in air over a standard time interval – mostly 24 hours, but 8 hours for carbon monoxide and ozone.