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Fine Particulate Matter (PM10) includes any
airborne particle (e.g. smoke, fumes, dust, ash, and pollen) with a
diameter of 10 microns or less. PM10 has been associated
with increased hospital visits and premature death, especially
amongst children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues.
PM10 can have elevated concentrations near sources (e.g.
barbecues, fires, construction) but otherwise has concentrations
that are generally similar across an urban area. The current (2015)
Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards are 10 µg/m3
(annual) and 28 µg/m3 (24-hour) based on three-year
averaging. Further details on PM10 can be found on the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) includes any
airborne particle (e.g. smoke, fumes, dust, ash, and pollen) with a
diameter of 2.5 microns or less. PM2.5 has been
associated with increased hospital visits and premature death,
especially amongst children, the elderly, and those with respiratory
issues. PM2.5 can have elevated concentrations near
sources (e.g. barbecues, fires, construction) but otherwise has
concentrations that are generally similar across an urban area. The
current (2015) Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards are 10
µg/m3 (annual) and 28 µg/m3 (24-hour) based on
three-year averaging. Further details on PM2.5 can be
found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information
page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a by-product of
incomplete combustion (diesel, gasoline, natural gas, coal). It is a
major component in smog formation and a useful indicator of vehicle
emissions. Concentrations of NO2 vary across cities and
tend to be higher near major roads with greater numbers of
heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Nitrogen oxide (NO) is converted to
NO2 by reaction with ozone (O3), causing the
ratio of these two pollutants to change rapidly near emission
sources. The proposed Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards for
2020 are 17 ppb (annual average of 1-hour values) and 60 ppb (3-year
average of annual 98th percentile of daily 1-hour maximum values).
Further details on NO2 can be found on the Ministry of
Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/nitrogen.php
Nitrogen Oxide (NO) is a strong indicator of diesel vehicle emissions but can also come from other combustion processes. Concentrations across cities can be highly variable with greater concentrations found near primary sources (e.g. highways, loading docks). Nitrogen oxide can irritate the throat and promote asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. This pollutant can be a useful indicator of traffic density and composition.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced by incomplete combustion. CO
is an odourless, tasteless, and poisonous gas, though it does not
usually exist at high enough concentrations to cause acute damage
(typically ~100 ppb). CO is an indicator of traffic pollution as the
vast majority of CO is produced by vehicular emissions, often by
cars that are poorly maintained or have defective catalytic
converters in their exhaust systems. Further details on CO can be
found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information
page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/carbon.php
Ozone (O3) is a colourless gas created through a
reaction of sunlight and emissions from incomplete combustion
(NOx and volatile organic carbon compounds). Ozone is a
major component of smog and has been linked to increased hospital
emissions and premature death. Ozone can also irritate the
respiratory tract and eyes. Concentrations of ozone tend to be
similar across a city and the concentrations may be lower in
locations with high traffic. While ozone in the upper atmosphere is
protective, exposure to ozone at ground level can impact health. The
current Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standard (2015) is 63 ppb
(3-year average of the annual 4th highest daily 8-hour averaged
concentration). Further details on O3 can be found on the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/ozone.php
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is an overall air quality
indicator that signifies its potential risk to your health on a
scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being low health risk and 10 being a very
high health risk. The index provides a simple scale to allow people
to tailor their activities according to outdoor air quality. The
index takes into account nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine
particulate matter levels for its calculation. Further details on
AQHI can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/aqhi_description.php
Sulfur dioxide(SO2) is a colourless gas which is
responsible for the smell of burnt matches. At higher
concentrations, the odour becomes sharp, pungent, and choking. It
can be oxidized to sulphur trioxide, which in the presence of water
vapour is readily transformed to sulphuric acid mist. SO2
is a major contributor to acid rain, although steps undertaken in
the last 50 years or so to clean up industrial emissions have
greatly reduced its concentrations in Europe and North America. It
is a precursor to sulphates, which are one of the main components of
respirable particles in the atmosphere. Further details on SO2
can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/sulphur.php
Carbon dioxide(CO2) is a naturally occurring
molecule that forms as a result of respiration processes. CO2
is a greenhouse gas (GHG) due to its ability to trap heat from the
sun within Earth's atmosphere, which keeps the world at a livable
temperature. Ambient concentration of CO2 has risen from
pre-industrial levels of ~280 ppm to the current average of ~410
ppm, most likely due to human activity. This increased abundance of
CO2 traps extra energy and heat from the sun, which is
believed to be detrimental to climate stability. Further details on
CO2 can be found on the Global CCS Institute information
page:
https://hub.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/what-happens-when-co2-stored-underground-qa-ieaghg-weyburn-midale-co2-monitoring-and-storage-project/1-what-carbon-dioxide-co2
The AirSENCE system accurately monitors the Air Quality
Health Index (AQHI) as well as five other harmful pollutants in the
air we breathe and provides observable data on each in real time.
Learn more here:
http://airsence.augsignals.com/
User Guide
Select one of the eight variables on the left to view more details
including data, history, and a brief description of the pollution.
Using the map on the right, you can select one of our monitoring
stations or use the search bar to find the location nearest you.