Mumbai’s air turns ‘severe’, AQI at 203: Report

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Mumbai's air quality on Wednesday slipped to "severe" category with an AQI of 203, according to aqi.in.

The AQI increased by 20 points as compared to 183 on Tuesday.

The report also stated that PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration in Mumbai are 120 and 221 respectively. According to Swiss organisation iQAir PM2.5 concentration in Mumbai air is currently 19.8 times above the WHO annual air quality guideline value.

Here are the location-wise details.

Today, do not forget to wear a mask when stepping out of home, avoid outdoor exercise and keep doors and windows closed so as to not expose yourself to pollutants. Running an air purifier at intervals will be an additional safety measure.

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