Davenport air quality map

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

There is a wealth of interesting information concerning air quality which can be seen on the air pollution map for Davenport. This set of pages is easy to access from the main city page. Selecting the air pollution map will open this new set which is filled with all germane information about the current air quality.

When the new set of pages opens, the viewer will be met with a solid background colour of the map which is an instant indication of the air quality at that time. The full explanation of all the colours can be found in the legend at the bottom of the page. Colours range from pale green to dark maroon and are used as a standard across the entire IQAir website. The current colouration of the map would indicate “Moderate” air quality.

There will also be several coloured discs distributed across the map which represent the sites of the ground-level air monitoring stations that are in the area, although they maybe are not all under the jurisdiction of the city authorities. In the middle of each disc is a number which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. It is calculated by recording the levels of six of the most prolific pollutants found in the city air. They are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Each station can be studied further by clicking on the disc to allow a new page to open which will be filled with information about air quality in that part of the city.

Once this US AQI reading has been verified, it is used as a standard when comparing air quality in different locations across the globe. It has the full backing of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Looking back at the main city page, it will be seen in the coloured banner running across the top that in June 2023, Davenport was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 51. The yellow colouration of the banner also reflects this level. The main pollutant was discovered as being PM2.5 with a recorded level of 12.2 µg/m³ (microns per cubic metre) which is almost two and a half times higher than the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Immediately below the air pollution map for Davenport can be seen the number of contributors there are that collect all the data about air quality on behalf of the city authorities. Currently, there are five contributors that operate four ground-level stations. One contributor is the educational institute of the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa (SHL) which operates nine stations throughout the state and has over 1,200 followers. There is also an unidentified governmental contributor and three others who wish to remain anonymous.

Is there much more exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Davenport?

There is a lot more exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Davenport and it is very easy to access. There is an icon at the top of the opening screen which will open up a new set of pages in full-screen mode so no information will be hidden.

A drop-down list of four options should now be seen on the left-hand side of the screen. Each choice can be deactivated to see the effects they have on the air pollution map.

The first option shows the positions of all the ground-level air monitoring stations there are in the region, even if they are not under the direct control of the city. The second option shows the position of any wildfires there are that are burning out of control in the vicinity. There were no fires detected at the time of writing in June 2023. If fires are burning out of control then 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 from the fires might blow.

Option number three will change the background colour of the map to show the existing state of the air. When the air quality is good, the map will be pale coloured but when the quality gets worse, the colours will become much darker and possibly overwhelming. If the darker colours are too confusing then the option can be deactivated and the map will revert to a more neutral colour palette.

There are even more facts and figures about air quality in cities worldwide on the right-hand side of the screen. A table will be seen here that lists the top seven most polluted cities in the world in descending order. The remainder of the participating world cities can be found under the “Full-ranking” icon which will open up another set of pages filled with this information.

Directly below the contributor’s category is another interesting section which shows the location of the most polluted stations as tiered by their US AQI readings. Currently, the most polluted area is in the vicinity of the Hayes School 2 station which published a US AQI reading of 55 which is classified as being “Moderate”. The second station was at Jefferson park with a published a US AQI reading of 53.

There is also a list which shows the popularity of the various stations according to their number of regular followers. Currently, this accolade goes to the station at Davenport, 10th & Vine with just over 400 followers.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air quality map for Davenport?

Whilst the direct source is not shown on the air quality map for Davenport, it is known that the most commonly occurring pollutant is sulphur dioxide which comes from power stations which burn coal as their fuel source. Almost all of the power stations in Iowa use coal as a source of fuel but it contains more sulphur dioxide than any other fossil fuel which it releases when it is burned.

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

PM2.5 are atmospheric aerosols with a diameter no greater than 2.5 micrometres. This type of suspended dust is considered the most dangerous for human health. This is because the dust is very fine and, in this form, it can get directly into the bloodstream through the alveoli at the base of the bronchial tubes.