Mumbai’s air quality in ‘unhealthy’ category with AQI 156

A hazy morning in Mumbai. Representational Image/AFP

Mumbai's air quality on Monday morning plummeted with AQI 156 and remained under "poor" category, according to aqi.in.

The report also stated that PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration in Mumbai are 76 and 119 respectively.

PM2.5 concentration in Mumbai air is currently 14.1 times above the WHO annual air quality guideline value.

Here are the location-wise details:

Location Status AQI PM 2.5 PM 10
Bandra East POOR 135 55 95
Borivli East POOR 161 75 121
CSMT POOR 132 48 139
Colaba POOR 158 69 139
Juhu POOR 154 70 93

It is still advisable to avoid outdoor exercises. Try to stay indoors with purifiers on as far as practicable and do not forget to wear N95 masks if stepping out.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an air pollutant that is a concern for people's health when levels in air are high. PM2.5 is tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. Outdoor PM2.5 levels are most likely to be elevated on days with little or no wind or air mixing.

Air Quality Index (AQI) is a yardstick to measure the quality of air in a given area. It is measured from 0 to 500. A higher value of AQI denotes a greater level of pollutants in the air and hence a more severe impact on health.

The AQI index is divided into six categories, each corresponding to a different level of health concern.

- Green (0-50) - Good

- Yellow (51-100) - Moderate

- Orange (101-150) - Unhealthy for sensitive groups, Poor

- Red (151-200) - Unhealthy

- Purple (201-300) - Very unhealthy

- Maroon (301 and higher) - Hazardous