More and more places include systems to monitor air quality as a strategy to control and monitor the state of air pollution in cities. At the moment, New York tops the list of big cities with the most pollution, to the point that inhaling the wind that runs through its streets can become a health risk.
This week, a large column of smoke covered the city sky and turned the sky orange. The origin of this originates in the north, in Canada, where severe forest fires were recorded.
“Air quality is expected to continue deteriorating throughout the day", so the alert will remain in force at least until this Thursday night," he announced. Eric Adams, the mayor of the city through his Twitter account.
In that order, the governor of the state of New York, Kathy Hochul He suggested citizens stay inside their homes until the columns of contaminated air disperse. “We strongly recommend that outdoor activities be postponed or canceled while we wait for safer air quality conditions.. If you must be outdoors for long periods, wear a high-quality mask to reduce exposure,” the Democrat said through the same social network.
New York occupies first place in the ranking of cities with the highest air pollution, with a score of 183 and classified as “unhealthy,” according to IqAir. The American city is followed by Tel Aviv, In Israel, Hanoi, a Vietnam, Daca, in Bangladesh and Detroit, in United States.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages the concept of Air Quatily Index, better known as AQI, a concept that allows air quality to be measured based on colors and numerical values.
In numbers, the rule ranges from 0 to 500. EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act. The same agency established national air quality standards for the protection of human health for each of these pollutants: ozone at ground level, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, The effects of air pollution on our health are adverse and different depending on the type of pollutant Y nitrogen dioxide.
To facilitate its interpretation, the AQI is divided into six categories and each of them corresponds to a level of health concern, namely:
- Bueno: 0 to 50. There is little or no risk of air pollution.
- Moderate: 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable, but for some pollutants there may be moderate concern.
- Unhealthy for sensitive groups:101 to 150. People with compromised health could be affected.
- Unhealthy: 151 to 200. Everyone can begin to suffer health effects.
- Very unhealthy: 201 to 300. Health warnings of emergency conditions are issued.
- Dangerous: 301 and above. Everyone can begin to suffer serious health effects.