Baku air quality map

What information is freely available on the air pollution map for Baku?

The air pollution map for Baku is very easy to find from the main city page. The map icon will be at the top of that page and by clicking anywhere on the icon will open a new page which is dedicated to the air quality of the city and its environs.

One of the first things a viewer will notice will be the overall colour of the map itself. It is currently a yellow/orange colour which signifies air quality that would be “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”. The meaning of all the possible colours used is explained in the legend at the foot of the page. Colours generally range from pale green to dark maroon with the darker colours indicating poorer air quality than the pale ones.

There could also be several coloured circles or discs dotted across the map which represent the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. If they appear to be on top of each other, slowly expanding the map will help them to separate. However, in the case of Baku, it appears to only have one station providing air quality data.

These discs display a number in their centre which is the US AQI reading. The United States Air Quality Index number is calculated by measuring up to six of the most prolific air pollutants found in the city air. These are usually Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once calculated, it is then used as a metric when making comparisons between other cities. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

By selecting one of the discs will encourage a new page to open with all information about that particular area of the city.

Looking back at the home page, it can be seen that during October 2022 Baku was enjoying a period of “Good” quality air with a US AQI reading of 45. The main pollutant which was measured was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 10.9 µg/m³. This is slightly over twice the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Looking just below the air pollution map for Baku can be seen the number of stations which provide the latest air quality data. At the start of the fourth quarter of 2022, there was just one station providing such data and it is operated and controlled by someone who wishes to remain anonymous.

Is there any other useful information on the air pollution map for Baku?

There is more information available on the air pollution map for Baku, but the screen needs to be viewed at maximum size otherwise some parts will remain hidden. On the left-hand side of the screen will be a list of four options which can all be turned on or off in order to understand what impact they have on the map.

The first option shows the location of the monitoring stations and behind each disc is more information about that particular area of the city.

The second option shows the position of any wildfires which may be burning in the vicinity of the city. Currently, there are no icons on the map to show any active fires. Option four would be useful here as it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds which gives a good indication of where the ensuing smoke might blow.

The third option is very dramatic as it changes the colouration of the map to reflect the current air quality. This can be disabled if the viewer is overpowered or confused about the intense map colouration. Once disabled, the map will revert to a more subdued palette.

Across on the right-hand edge of the screen will be a table which shows world cities ranked according to their level of air pollution. This can be explored in more detail by expanding the table to show more cities.

Directly below the air pollution map for Baku will be seen a table which ranks the stations according to their levels of air pollution and their US AQI reading. There is only one station in Baku so it is both the most polluted and the cleanest station at the same time. This station is at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. A list of popular stations then follows. The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences has a total of 826 followers.

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air quality map for Baku?

The source of the polluted air is not directly shown on the air quality map for Baku, however, in recent years, the air pollution caused by automobile traffic has been causing concern. During traffic jams in calm weather on some days, it becomes difficult for people to breathe, and the sick and elderly cannot bear it. The terrible thing is that the gasoline produced in Azerbaijan consists of ethylated gasoline. Due to the need to burn high-octane gasoline in the engines of modern cars, lead powder is added to gasoline to increase the octane level in Baku's oil refineries.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Baku, but what is it?

Particles in the PM2.5 size range are commonly present in air and may be drawn into the body with every breath. In the lungs, particles can have a direct physical effect and/or be absorbed into the blood. Airborne particles, not only the PM2.5 fraction but may also may be deposited in the mouth, throat or nose and be ingested.

Particulate matter (PM) includes microscopic matter suspended in air or water. Airborne particles are called aerosols. PM10 includes particles less than 10 µm in diameter, PM2.5 those less than 2.5 µm.

The toxicity of suspended particles is mainly due to particles with a diameter of less than 10µm. They can be emitted directly into the air from anthropogenic activities (industry, residential, agriculture, transport) and natural sources (forest fires, volcanic eruptions, etc.). Particles can also be formed directly in the atmosphere by chemical reactions between pollutants already present in the atmosphere.