Why Is The Air Quality Unhealthy Today? At why.edu.vn, we understand your concern about the current air quality and its impact on your health. This comprehensive guide dives deep into the reasons behind unhealthy air quality, offering insights and solutions to help you protect yourself and your loved ones. Discover the factors contributing to poor air quality and how to stay informed with real-time air pollution data, environmental health, and actionable steps for better respiratory health.
1. Understanding Unhealthy Air Quality
Unhealthy air quality means that the air contains pollutants at levels that can harm human health and the environment. These pollutants can include particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). When these pollutants reach certain concentrations, they can trigger a range of health problems, especially for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Understanding the air quality index (AQI) and its different levels is crucial in assessing the risk and taking appropriate precautions.
1.1. What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a scale used to communicate the level of air pollution to the public. It translates pollutant concentrations into a simple, easy-to-understand number ranging from 0 to 500+. Each range corresponds to a different level of health concern:
- 0-50 (Good): Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- 51-100 (Moderate): Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
- 101-150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups): Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
- 151-200 (Unhealthy): Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
- 201-300 (Very Unhealthy): Health alert: Everyone may experience more serious health effects.
- 301-500 (Hazardous): Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
The AQI is calculated based on the concentrations of major pollutants, and the highest value determines the overall AQI for a given location.
