Mumbai’s air quality marginally improves, still under ‘unhealthy’ category: Report

A hazy morning in Mumbai. Representational Image/AFP

Mumbai's air quality on Thursday morning marginally improved but remained under "unhealthy" category with AQI 185, according to aqi.in.

The AQI dropped by 18 points as compared to 203 on Wednesday.

The report also stated that PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration in Mumbai are 118 and 194 respectively. According to Swiss organisation iQAir PM2.5 concentration in Mumbai air is currently 19.5 times above the WHO annual air quality guideline value.

Here are the location-wise details.

People with chronic illnesses should avoid outdoor activities completely and other must try to restrict their time outdoors. To protect yourself from pollutants and toxins in the air, use N95 masks as surgical masks are not designed to filter the air. Try to stay indoors with purifiers on as far as practicable.

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 (1001-150) - Unhealthy for sensitive groups

- Red (151-200) - Unhealthy

- Purple (201-300) - Very unhealthy

- Maroon (301 and higher) - Hazardous