Quilicura air quality map

What type of information about air quality is there on the air pollution map for Quilicura?

There is a lot of interesting data about air quality on the air pollution map for Quilicura and it can be accessed from the main city page. By choosing the air pollution map it acts as a link to a set of new pages which are filled with all the latest information about air quality.

One of the first things to notice will be the overall colouration of the map. This colour is a direct reflection of the current air quality. Colours can vary between pale green and dark maroon and get darker as the air quality worsens. The full meaning of them is shown in the legend at the foot of the page. They are used as standard across the entire IQAir website. The present colour is dark yellowish/brown which indicates air quality classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”.

There are also a lot of coloured discs spread across the region. These mark the sites of the ground-level air monitoring stations in the local vicinity, although they are not all under the control of the city. If they appear to be on top of each other, the map can be slowly enlarged which will make the discs separate and become clearer. Each disc displays a number at its centre which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by measuring six of the most prolific 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.

The US AQI reading is used as a standard when making comparisons of air quality in different towns and cities all over the world. The whole scheme is actively encouraged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Each disc can be explored further because they hold all the information gathered for their specific part of the city. This can be invaluable when travelling around.

Checking back to the main city page, it can be seen in the coloured banner across the top of it that the air quality at that time was “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a US AQI reading of 146. The main pollutant was seen to be PM2.5 with a recorded level of 54 µg/m³ (microns per cubic metre). At this level, it is almost eleven times higher than the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³, as recommended by the WHO.

Underneath the air pollution map for Quilicura can be seen the number of contributors there are and the number of stations they control. At the time of writing in May 2023, there was just one station which was operated by the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente de Chile, which is a governmental department. It has almost 100,000 followers and operates 99 stations in total.

Is there any more exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Quilicura?

There is a wealth of information about the latest state of the air on the air quality map for Quilicura and it is very easy to find from the main page. At the top right-hand side of the screen is an icon which, when selected, will open a new set of pages filled with the most up-to-date information about air quality.

A list of four choices will be seen on the left-hand side of the screen. All of these can be individually deactivated to see the full extent they each have on the map.

The first option shows the location of all the ground-level air quality monitoring stations there are in the region, although they may not all be under the direct control of the city. They all hold much information about air quality in that particular part of the city.

The next option reveals the sites of any wildfires there are that are burning out of control in the region. At the time of writing, there were no reports of any fires in the vicinity. When fires are detected, option four needs to be consulted because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and will give a good indication of where the smoke may drift to.

Option number three changes the background colour of the map to show the current air quality. If the air quality is very poor and the colours dark it can be quite distracting, in this case, it can be deactivated and the map will revert to a more neutral set of colours that are easier to understand.

There are even more facts and figures about air pollution on the right-hand side of the screen. A table here shows the top seven most polluted cities in the world according to their US AQI readings. The rest of the participating cities can be found in the full-ranking section which contains several pages of facts and figures.

Just below the map can be seen a list of the most polluted areas of the city and also the most popular stations. There is only one station in Quilicura so both lists are very short.

Is the source of the polluted air identified on the air quality map for Quilicura?

It is not possible to identify the source of pollution from the air quality map for Quilicura but it has always been a problem known to the authorities. In the region there are 1,870 industrial and commercial points that concentrate 80 per cent of the emissions of the entire Metropolitan Region. Of this total, 182 are located in Quilicura, which places the commune in second place with the highest number of these sources. Maipá takes first place with 207 points, including turbines, industrial furnaces and boilers.

There are also devices that are needed to heat places, such as air conditioning, gas or firewood, which in addition to polluting contain elements that can be harmful to health.

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

Particulate matter, or PM 2.5, are very small airborne particles that are 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. This is less than the thickness of a human hair. Particulate matter is a mixture that can include organic chemicals, dust, soot and metals. These particles can come from cars, lorries, factories, wood burning, and other activities. The main source is from the combustion of fossil fuels in whatever capacity.