Ratlam air quality map

What information about air pollution can be found on the air quality map for Ratlam?

There is a lot of quality information about air pollution on the air quality map for Ratlam and it is very easy to access from the main city page. Clicking on the map icon at the top of the page will automatically open a new page, filled with all the relevant information about air quality.

Once this new page is opened, the viewer will notice the intense colour of the background of the map. This is a visual indication of the current state of the air. Colours can range from pale green through to dark maroon and are standard colours used throughout the IQAir website. The current colour indicates that the air quality is “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”.

There are usually several coloured discs scattered across the map which show the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. However, not all cities have such physical stations and rely on information from overhead satellites. Ratlam is one such city that has no physical stations.

When discs are seen on the map, they each display a number at their centre. This is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by taking measurements of up to six of the most prolific pollutants found in city air. These are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once calculated it is then used as a standard when comparing air quality in other cities across the globe. It is fully endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Looking back at the main city page it can be seen that at the start of February 2023, Ratlam was experiencing a period of air quality classed as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a US AQI reading of 103. The main pollutant was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 36.2 µg/m³ which is over seven times the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Is there more useful information about air quality on the air pollution map for Ratlam?

There is a lot more fascinating information about air quality on the air pollution map for Ratlam and it is very easy to access by selecting the icon at the top right-hand side of the screen. This will open the page at maximum size so all information will be visible. When viewed in this way, a list of four choices will appear on the left-hand side of the screen. Each option can be turned on or off to see the effect they each have on the map.

The first option shows the location of the ground-level air quality monitoring stations, but as already said, there are no physical stations in Ratlam. There are stations farther afield which can be individually selected and explored further to discover the state of the air at that specific location. The second option shows the position of any wildfires that might be burning in the vicinity. At the beginning of February 2023, there were no fire icons on the air pollution map for Ratlam which meant there were no fires burning out of control in the vicinity. If fires are detected, then option four needs to be reviewed because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and can give a guide as to where the ensuing smoke may blow.

Option number three is very theatrical because it changes the overall colour of the map to show the current state of the air. Sometimes this colouration can be very intense and confusing, in which case it can be deactivated so that the colour of the map will revert to a more subdued hue.

There is some more information about air quality on the right-hand side of the screen where a table will be found. This ranks the top seven most polluted cities in the world. The rest of the participating world cities can be seen by selecting the full-ranking section to enable a new page to open which has the details of the remaining cities in descending order.

Is the source of the air pollution shown on the air quality map for Ratlam?

Whilst the source of air pollution is not shown directly on the air pollution map for Ratlam. It is well-known that the major source comes from industrial processes with household combustion appliances, motor vehicles, and wildfires also add to the air pollution. Major public health pollutants include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide.

What are the side effects associated with air pollution in Ratlam?

The biggest side effect of air pollution is that if carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, oxides, hydrocarbon, etc. continue to enter the body through the lungs in an undesired manner, many problems related to breathing arise. Problems such as vomiting, suffocation, headache, burning sensation in the eyes etc. may occur.

Many types of toxic elements are found in polluted air, which can cause harmful diseases such as cancer. Some chemical gases released due to pollution reach the atmosphere and interact with the ozone layer there and reducing its quantity. Obviously, the ozone layer absorbs harmful radiation coming from space. That's why the ozone layer acts as a shield for us. But when the ozone layer weakens due to pollution, then serious diseases like skin cancer can occur.

Sulphur dioxide is present in the smoke coming out from vehicle exhausts and factories in abundance. It is present in the air in the form of droplets after converting into sulphide first and then sulfuric acid. When the rainy season comes, it falls on earth together with the rainwater, due to which the acidity of the land increases and the production capacity starts decreasing. This acid rain also damages buildings and infrastructure such as bridges and historic statues. An example of this is the threat to the Taj Mahal from the nearby oil refinery.

Due to air pollution in the atmosphere, the continuous decrease in the level of oxygen is fatal for humans as well as for various living beings. Due to a lack of oxygen, there could be an interruption in the breathing of animals.