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Local air quality affects how you live and breathe. KAUST weather makes information about outdoor air quality easy to find and understand. A key tool in this effort is the Air Quality Index (AQI). Cities around the world use AQIs to provide simple information about local air quality.
The AQI is a standard approach for monitoring how clean or polluted our local air might be. It aligns with pre-defined ranges of AQI values with potential health effects that some people might experience within a few hours or even days after an air pollution event.
Think of the AQI as a meter stick that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little or no potential to affect public health, while an AQI value over 300 represents air quality so hazardous that everyone may experience serious effects. An AQI value of 100 generally corresponds to the United States (US) national air quality standard for the pollutant, which is the level the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set to protect public health. AQI values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, outdoor activities may need to be modified (see chart below).
| Air Quality Index(AQI) | Meaning | Recommended Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 50 Good |
Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. | Everyone: It's a great day to be active outside! |
| 51 to 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. | Unusually sensitive people: Consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. These are signs to take it easy. Everyone else: It's a great day to be active outside! |
| 101 to 150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups |
Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. | Sensitive groups: Reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. It's OK to be active outside, but take more breaks and do less intense activities. Watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. People with asthma: Follow your asthma action plan and keep quick relief medicine handy. People with heart disease: Symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem. If you have any of these, contact your healthcare provider. |
| 151 to 200 Unhealthy |
Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. | Sensitive groups: Avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Move activities indoors or reschedule to a time when air quality is better. Everyone else: Reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. Take more breaks during all outdoor activities. |
| 201 to 300 Very Unhealthy |
Health alert: Everyone may experience more serious health effects. | Sensitive groups: Avoid all physical activity outdoors. Move activities indoors or reschedule to a time when air quality is better. Everyone else: Avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Consider moving activities indoors or rescheduling to a time when air quality is better. |
| 301 and higher Hazardous |
Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. | Sensitive groups: Remain indoors and keep activity levels low. Follow tips for keeping particle levels low indoors (e.g. keep doors and windows closed). Everyone else: Avoid all physical activity outdoors. |
These recommendations are for the general community.
Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) is a guide that is intended as a communication and a decision-making tool in the event of poor air quality as it relates to outdoor works and activities. Adverse air quality events can occur at any time and can sustain for an unknown period. HSE works with major units within KAUST with outdoor activities to devise AQAP, if your unit has outdoor activities, please contact HSE athse@kaust.edu.sa.It is prudent for each unit to follow its AQAP that is department specific which has been developed in close consultation with HSE.
The KAUST AQI is calculated for the following Criteria Pollutants that US EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health:
Based on US EPA guidelines, AQI is calculated for all above listed Criteria Pollutants, such guidance can be found at US EPA website. The highest AQI of all six pollutants is reported as the predominant, or the overall AQI and is updated every 15 minutes. Due to our environmental conditions such as being located in a desert region and proximity to coastal area with sand storms and sea spray aerosols, it is inevitable that particulate matter will be shown as the predominant AQI in most of the time. Depending on the environmental conditions, the reported AQI, or the highest AQI varies and could be any one of the six pollutants listed above.
| Pollutant | Averaging Period |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | Three hourly with more weight on the current hour* |
| PM10 | Three hourly with more weight on the current hour* |
| NO2 | One Hourly |
| O3 | Eight hourly |
| SO2 | One hourly |
| CO | Eight hourly |
Averaging weighs more heavily on the most current hour, thus mimicking current outdoor conditions and providing community members with a decision making tool.
The following charts indicate live and historical data for particulate matter and gaseous pollutants concentration, as well as AQI.
| Three hourly with more weight on the current hour* | |
| PM10 Shorter Average- Three hourly with more weight on the current hour | |
| Total AQI - Overall Air Quality Index considering all the pollutants (CO, NO2 SO2, O3, PM2.5, PM10) |
This list catalogs poor air quality events; gets updated on a regular basis, and details the root cause of each event and recurrence prevention actions. The inclusion criteria for the list are events that reach AQI level of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), and Hazardous (301 and higher).
This inclusion criteria is based on US EPA guidelines that state when AQI values are above 100, air quality starts to be unhealthy at first for sensitive groups, and as the AQI level gets higher, air quality then impacts everyone.
Natural sources of air pollution such as dust are a normal part of everyday life in desert regions of the world, with dust playing a substantial role in causing air pollution in Saudi Arabia.
While natural sources contribute substantially to local air pollution due to dust storms, contribution from human activities are also sources and include:
The duration of prolonged exposure is dependent upon individual research studies, but is often a period of several months to several years.
Sensitive groups can include young children, elderly, pregnant people, or those with underlying heart and lung disease.
An activity that increases the heart rate to a level typically associated with cardio training/exercise.
1 AQI information partially adopted from US EPA publication: EPA
2 https://www.airnow.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/aqi-technical-assistance-document-sept2018.pdf
