AQI
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Environmental
| Stands for | Air Quality Index |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
AQI stands for Air Quality Index, an environmental abbreviation.
Number used to communicate how polluted the air is and what health effects to expect, based on pollutants such as ozone, fine particles, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. On the US scale from 0 to 500, values up to 50 are good, while readings above 150 are unhealthy for everyone.
Example: With the AQI at 165, the weather app advised everyone to reduce prolonged outdoor exercise.
Usage notes
The US index uses color codes: green (good), yellow (moderate), orange (unhealthy for sensitive groups), red (unhealthy), purple (very unhealthy) and maroon (hazardous). Smoke from Canadian wildfires drove New York City's AQI above 400 in June 2023. Other countries use different scales, such as the UK's 1-10 Daily Air Quality Index, so numbers are not directly comparable.
Related abbreviations
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