Abyek air quality map

Is there much information about air quality on the air pollution map for Abyek?

There are a lot of fascinating facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Abyek and they are very easy to find. Clicking anywhere on the map icon on the main city page will open a new page which is filled with all the relevant information.

When the new page opens, the viewer will be met with a solid wall of colour across the map. This is a direct visualisation of the current air quality. At the time of writing, the colour was green which shows the air quality as being “Good”. Available colours range from pale green to dark purple where the darker colours are used as the air quality gets worse. These same colours are used across the entire IQAir website.

This level of air quality is established by the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. It is calculated by taking measurements of up to six of the most prolific pollutants found in the city air. These are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. This entire system is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Data about air quality can be collected in one of two ways, either from ground-level air monitoring stations or from overhead satellite modelling. Abyek has no ground-level stations and so relies on data from the satellites, but the results are the same.

Looking back at the main city page, in the banner at the top of this page shows the current state of the air through both the use of colour and also showing the US AQI reading. The asterisk to the right of the reading shows that the figure is derived from satellite data and the pale green background reveals “Good” quality air. The main pollutant was identified as being PM2.5 with a recorded level of 10.1 µg/m³ (microns per cubic metre) which is twice as high as the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Are there any more fascinating facts and figures about air quality on the air pollution map for Abyek?

There is a lot more material about air quality on the air pollution map for Abyek but the screen needs to be viewed at maximum size so that all the information is visible. This is easily achieved by selecting the icon at the top of the page which will encourage a new page to open which contains what is required.

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

The first option shows the sites of the ground-level air monitoring stations but, as already stated, Abyek has no such physical stations in the city. These coloured discs which indicate their position can be seen in neighbouring countries but there are none close to this city.

The next option shows the position of any wildfires there are that are burning out of control in the area. At the time of writing in March 2023, there were no reports of fires in the immediate area. If and when fires are detected, option four needs to be investigated because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and will give a guide to where the ensuing smoke might drift.

Option number three changes the colour of the map to visually indicate the current state of the air. When the air quality is “Good” the map will be a pale green colour which is easy on the eyes, but when the air quality is poor, the map will take on darker colours which some viewers may find overpowering. In this case, the option can be turned off to allow the colours to revert to a more subdued palette.

Across on the right-hand side of the screen can be found more information about air quality in other world cities. A table will be seen that ranks the seven most polluted cities across the globe. The rest of the participating cities can be found in the Full-ranking section where several new pages will open which contain all this data.

Can the source of the polluted air be identified on the air quality map for Abyek?

Whilst the direct source of not obvious on the air pollution map for Abyek, it is known that the sources of air pollutants are not limited to oil refineries, vehicle exhausts and industrial activities.

Air pollution in the west of the country is caused by a lack of airflow, population density, and exhaust gases of old cars and motorcycles in common use. 103 million litres of gasoline and diesel are consumed throughout the country. These materials are fossil fuels, and the emission of pollutants resulting from their consumption causes cumulative effects. Fuel consumption in power plants, industry, vehicles, generators, heating and cooling systems, etc. causes the accumulation of pollutants and smog.

Currently, public transportation in Iran is not fit for purpose, not responding to people’s needs, and not being able to cover entire regions, which contributes to increasing the effects of pollution.

PM2.5 is always quoted on the air quality map for Abyek, but how dangerous is it?

Most research on air pollution has focused on a type of pollutant known as particulate matter. These fine particles consist of sulphates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, carbon, mineral dust and water, which is a complex mixture of organic matter suspended in the air in both solid and liquid forms. These particles are classified into two types according to their diameter, the first is PM10, which are particles with a diameter of less than 10 microns, the second type is PM2.5 particles, which are particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns.

These fine particles are emitted from power plants, factories, cars, motorbikes and lorries, and they are known for their harmful cardiovascular effects. But it now appears that the harmful effects of particulate matter may go beyond damage to blood vessels to include negative effects on mental health.