Karaj air quality map

What valuable information about air quality can be retrieved from the air pollution map for Karaj?

The air pollution map for Karaj is easily accessed from the main city page. The map icon will be at the top of the main page and by clicking anywhere on it, a new page will open which is full of information about the quality of the air in and around the city.

The first thing the viewer will notice is the colour of the new page. It is currently a greenish/yellow which indicates “Moderate” air quality but because it is a very dark colour it means that it is almost categorised as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”. The meaning of the various colours used is explained in the legend at the foot of the page. These colours are used throughout the entire site to avoid confusion.

The other thing to take notice of is the number of coloured discs that can be seen dotted across the map. These represent the positions of the ground-level air monitoring stations. If some appear to overlap each other, by slowly expanding the map will start to see the discs separate.

In the centre of each disc is a number which shows the US AQI reading taken by that particular station. It is calculated by measuring the levels of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide which are six of the most commonly found air pollutants in city air. It can then be used as a metric when making comparisons between different cities around the world. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The current air quality for Karaj in September 2022 is available on the main city page. At that time the US AQI number was recorded as being 115 which places it in the classification of being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Four of the main pollutants were recorded but it is PM2.5 which is mostly used as a standard. This level was 41.2 µg/m³ which is over eight times the suggested level of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Directly below the map is shown the number of stations that provide all the data regarding air quality. In September 2022 there were five stations which were all provided and operated by the local authorities.

What other valuable information can be gathered from the air pollution map for Karaj?

When the dedicated page showing the air pollution map for Karaj is opened, it needs to be viewed in full-screen mode otherwise some of the extra information will be obscured.

On the far left-hand side of the page will be seen a drop-down menu showing four options. These can be activated and deactivated individually to make the viewing experience clearer.

The first option shows the positions of the ground-level air monitoring stations. If further information is required for any of the stations, by clicking on the chosen disc will open a new page containing all the information about that station and its local area.

The second option reveals the location of any fires that are burning in the vicinity. In September 2022, there were three fires burning towards the south of the city. When consulting option four which shows the wind speed and direction, it can be seen that the prevailing winds were blowing in the direction of the city so the air quality might be compromised because of the smoke.

The third option has the ability to change the colour of the map to reflect the current air quality. It is currently a dark greenish/yellow which indicates the air quality as being “Moderate”. If viewers find the colour too strong, by deactivating it the map colouration will return to a more subdued palette.

More information is found on the far right of the screen where a table can be seen which shows world cities ranked in order of their air cleanliness.

Directly below the air pollution map for Karaj is a list which shows the most polluted stations and their US AQI reading. The dirtiest at present is at Shahryar with a high reading of 155 which is classified as being “Unhealthy”. And below that is a table which lists the most popular stations in descending order. Currently the most popular is the station at Fardis with almost 45,000 followers. This has 30,000 more followers than the second most popular!

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air quality map for Karaj?

The source of the air pollution is not shown on the air quality map for Karaj; however, the main source of pollution is known to be generated by traffic and the movement of motor vehicles. More than half of the air pollution in Karaj is caused by vehicles, which plays a significant role in the severity of air pollution. Although in the past, industries were considered to be mainly responsible for air pollution, but now, with the increasing number of vehicles, the latter pollutes the air as a result of gasoline and diesel fuel and the spread of pollutants through the environment.

Considering the development of the urban society, the increase in population and density in Karaj, the consumption of heating and household fuels is also important in its place, and excessive consumption of fuel in such units also aggravates air pollution in the city.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Karaj, but how dangerous is it?

Airborne particles or dust in the air, particulate matter (PM) is a type of pollution and one of the most important air pollutants in many areas. PM is made up of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets the size of a fraction of the thickness of a human hair that float in the air we breathe. Because these particles are so small, you can't see them individually, but sometimes you can see a dusty cloud that is visible when millions of particles blur the emission of sunlight.

The particles of concern for human health are PM10 and PM2.5. These particles accumulate in the chest area of the respiratory system, and particles with a size of less than 4 microns move deep into the lungs. PM2.5 accumulates in the alveolar region of the lungs (air sacs in the lungs). These dusts and suspended particles reduce the breathing capacity of the lungs. Dust particles less than 2.5 microns are more dangerous to health because they tend to settle deep in the lung sacs and cause various heart and lung complications.