Minatitlan air quality map

Are there lots of facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Minatitlan?

There is a lot of extremely useful information about air quality on the air pollution map for Minatitlan and it is all very easy to find by using the air pollution map as a link. When selected, a new page will open which is filled with all the latest facts and figures about air quality.

The first thing a viewer will notice is the overall colouration of the map. This colour indicates the current state of the air. Colours can range from pale green to dark purple and get darker as the air quality worsens. The meaning of all the colours can be seen in the legend at the foot of the page. They are used as a standard across the entire IQAir website. The colour, at the time of writing in May 2023, was greenish/yellow which shows the air quality to be “Moderate”.

There will also be several coloured discs scattered across the map which show the locations of all the ground-level air monitoring stations there are in the vicinity, although they are not all under the jurisdiction of the city. If they are superimposed over each other and are difficult to see, the map can be slowly magnified which will allow the discs to separate from each other. All of the discs display a number at their centre which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by measuring up to six of the most commonly found pollutants in the city air. They are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Once verified, the number is used as a standard when comparing air quality in different locations across the globe. The entire system is encouraged and endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Each of the stations has its own set of data which can be explored further by selecting the appropriate disc. This can be very useful if travel to these areas is imminent.

Looking back at the main city page, it will be seen in the coloured banner running across the top of it that the current air quality is “Moderate” with a US AQI reading of 88. The colour of the banner instantly reflects this level too. The main pollutant was identified as being PM2.5 with a recorded level of 30 µg/m³ (microns per cubic metre) which is currently six times more than the suggested level of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Immediately below the air pollution map for Minatitlan can be seen the number of contributors there are that collect and collate all the data regarding air quality, and the number of stations they operate. In May 2023, there was just one station which was operated by the government department known as the Instituto Nacional de Ecologia y Cambio Climatico (INECC) which has over 166,000 followers and controls almost 90 stations across the country.

Is there any more enthralling information about air quality on the air pollution map for Minatitlan?

There is a lot more information about air quality on the air pollution map for Minatitlan and it is constantly updated to reflect the latest situation. On the opening page is an icon which will reopen the set of pages in Full-screen mode so that all the information is clearly visible.

When the full-screen mode opens, a list of four choices will be seen on the left-hand side of the page. These options can each be turned on or off individually to see the effects they each have on the map.

The first selection shows the sites of all the ground-level air monitoring stations there are in the region, although they may not all be under the jurisdiction of the city. They all hold a wealth of information about air quality in that specific area of the city.

The second option shows the positions of any wildfires there are that happen to be burning out of control in the vicinity. In May 2023, there was a fire burning less than 5 kilometres away from the city. This is when option four becomes very important because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds. Option four shows an easterly wind which should blow the ensuing smoke to the south of the city if the direction does not change.

Option number three will change the background colour of the map to reflect the present air quality. If the air quality is very poor and the colours dark, it can be deactivated and the map will revert to a more neutral set of colours.

More facts and figures can be seen on the right-hand side of the page where a table will be seen. This shows the ranking of the top seven most polluted cities in the world. There is also a Full Ranking section where the rest of the participating world cities are listed according to their levels of pollution.

Underneath the air pollution map for Minatitlan is listed the most polluted station as well as the most popular. Because there is only one station in Minatitlan which is the Tecnológico (TEC), the lists are very short!

Is the source of the air pollution identified on the air pollution map for Minatitlan?

Whilst the source of air pollution is not directly shown on the air quality map for Minatitlan it is generally accepted that there are five major sources of air pollution. The burning of coal by power plants or those plants based on diesel, are two of the most frequent and harmful emission sources. About 25 per cent of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions come from transportation. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the world's generated waste and organic waste is burned in the open, leading to atmospheric emissions of harmful dioxins, furans, methane and black carbon.

PM2.5 is often quoted on the air pollution map for Minatitlan, but what is it?

PM2.5 fine dust affects health more than any pollutant. Despite this, it is common in cities and inside homes and offices. They are ultrafine particles (2.5 microns in diameter or less) that constitute a mixture of organic and inorganic substances of all kinds. Their small size allows them to reach the pulmonary alveoli.

In addition to causing allergies and respiratory diseases, they also cause cardiovascular ailments and lung cancer, declared carcinogenic by the WHO.