August 30, 2023

Breathe Easy: Navigating the World of Air Quality Indices

Outdoor Air Pollution

Exploring Air Quality Indexes Worldwide: A Look into Varied Systems and Local Measurements. Discover the Diverse AQI Systems and Localized Indices for Countries Across the Globe.

The list of monitored pollutants in different countries:

  • Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
  • Particulate Matter (PM10)
  • Ozone (O3)
  • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
  • Carbon monoxide (CO)
  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Every pollutant is observed for a specific duration, after which its value is employed in calculating the index. Every country has its unique way of representing index ranges. If the range isn't defined, a textual description is utilized.

Air Quality Indices by Country

Air Quality Index Country Range PM2.5 PM10 O3 NO2 CO SO2
IQA (AD) Andorra 1-6 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (AU) Australia (NEPM) 0-200 24h 24h 1h/4h 1h 8h 1h
AQC (AU-NSW) Australia (NSW) 0-200 24h 24h 1h/4h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (AT) Austria 1-5 - 24h 1h/8h 0.5h/24h 1h/8h 0.5h/24h
AQI (AT-Vienna) Austria (Vienna) 1-6 - 24h 1h/8h 0.5h/24h 1h/8h 0.5h/24h
BelAQI (BE) Belgium 1-10 24h 24h 1h 1h - -
AQI (BD) Bangladesh 0-500 24h 24h 1h/8h 24h 8h -
AQI (BG) Bulgaria 1-10 - 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (BR) Brasil 0-200 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 24h
AQHI (CA) Canada 1-10+ 3h 3h 3h 3h - -
CAQI (EU) Europe 0-100 1h/24h 1h/24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
KBI (CH) Switzerland - - 24h 1h 24h - -
AQI (CN) China 0-500 24h 24h 1h/8h 24h 24h 24h
IBOCA (CO) Colombia 0-100 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 1h
ICCA (CR) Costa Rica 0-100 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 24h
AQI (CY) Cyprus 1-4 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (CZ) Czechia - - 3h 3h 3h - 3h
LQI (DE) Germany - 24h 24h 1h 1h - -
IQCA (EC) Ecuador 0-500 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 24h
ICA (ES) Spain - 24h 24h 8h 1h - 1h
AQI (EE) Estonia - 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (FI) Finland - 1h 1h 1h 1h - 1h
IQA (FR) France - 24h 24h 24h 24h - 24h
DAQI (UK) United Kingdom 1-10 24h 24h 8h 1h - 0.25h
AQHI (GI) Gibraltar 1-10 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 0.25h
AQHI (HK) Hong Kong 1-10 3h 3h 3h 3h - 3h
AQI (HU) Hungary 1-10 - 24h 8h 1h 1h 1h

Air Quality Index Country Range PM2.5 PM10 O3 NO2 CO SO2
ISPU (ID) India 0-500 24h 24h 24h 24h 24h 24h
NAQI (IN) Indonesia 0-500 24h 24h 1h 24h 8h 24h
AQIH (IE) Ireland 1-10 24h 24h 8h 1h - 1h
AQI (IL) Israel 100 to -400 24h 24h 8h 1h 0.5h 1h
CAI (KR) South Korea 0-500 12h 12h 1h 1h 1h 1h
KAQI (KW) Kuwait 0-500 - 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h
KBI (LI) Liechtenstein 1-6 - 24h 1h 24h - -
OUI (LT) Lithuania 1-5 - 24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (LU) Luxembourg 1-10 - 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h
ICARS (MX) Mexico (ICARS) - 12h 12h 1h 1h 8h 24h
AQI (MK) North Macedonia - 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (MN) Mongolia 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h
API (MY) Malaysia 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 24h
LKI (NL) Netherlands 1-11 1h 1h 1h 1h - -
AQI (NO) Norway - 1h 1h 1h 1h - 1h
AQI (NZ) New Zealand - 24h 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h
INCA (PE) Peru - 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 24h
AQI (PH) Philippines 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 24h
AQI (PL) Poland - 1h 1h 1h 1h - 1h
IQar (PT) Portugal - 24h 24h 1h 1h - 1h
AQI (RO) Romania 1-6 - 24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
PSI (SG) Singapore 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 24h
SAQI_11 (RS) Serbia 1-5 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (SK) Slovakia - 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h
AQI (TH) Thailand 0-200 24h 24h 8h 1h 8h 1h
HKI (TR) Turkey 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (TW) Taiwan 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (US) United States 0-500 24h 24h 8h/1h 1h 8h 1h
AQI (VN) Vietnam 0-500 24h 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h

Expanded Pollutant Measures in Indexes

  • Ammonia (NH3)
  • Benzene (C6H6)
  • Non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC)
  • Nitrogen monoxide (NO)

Air Quality Index Country Range PM2.5 PM10 O3 NO2 CO SO2 NH3 C6H6 NMHC NO
AQI (CY) Cyprus 1-4 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h - 1h - -
AQI (EE) Estonia - 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h 1h - -
NAQI (IN) Indonesia 0-500 24h 24h 1h 24h 8h 24h 24h - - -
AQI (LU) Luxembourg 1-10 - 24h 1h 1h 1h 1h - - - 1h

Countries utilizing CAQI (EU)

  • Albania
  • Armenia
  • Belarus
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Georgia
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Kosovo
  • Latvia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Moldova
  • Montenegro
  • Slovenia
  • Sweden
  • Ukraine

Countries utilizing AQI (US)

  • American Samoa
  • Argentina
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Brunei
  • Chile
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Guam
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Morocco
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
  • Venezuela

Atmotube Air Quality Score (AQS)

Atmotube Air Quality Score (AQS) is the index used within the Atmotube app that complements Atmotube air quality monitors.

Atmotube PRO, the latest generation in this product line, is a wearable, portable air quality tracker and weather station. It allows you to analyze personal exposure to air pollution with real-time data, both indoors and outdoors, and create a personal air quality map.

Since there is no unified air quality measurement system for the whole world, the ATMO team has developed their own Air Quality Score based on academic research, National Air Quality Indexes (AQIs), and WHO recommendations. AQS ranges on a scale from 0 (severely polluted air) to 100 (very clean).

Atmotube’s AQS is calculated based on:

  • PM1, PM2.5 and PM10
  • VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as formaldehyde, tetrachloroethylene, acetone, propylene, etc.
Atmotube PRO
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