A New Global Air Quality Health Index Based on the WHO Air Quality Guideline Values With Application in Cape Town.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: This study developed an Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) based on global scientific evidence and applied it to data from Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: Effect estimates from two global systematic reviews and meta-analyses were used to derive the excess risk (ER) for PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂ and O₃. Single pollutant AQHIs were developed and scaled using the ERs at the WHO 2021 long-term Air Quality Guideline (AQG) values to define the upper level of the "low risk" range. An overall daily AQHI was defined as weighted average of the single AQHIs. Results: Between 2006 and 2015, 87% of the days posed "moderate to high risk" to Cape Town's population, mainly due to PM₁₀ and NO₂ levels. T

SUBMITTER: Adebayo-Ojo TC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10625908 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature