Atmospheric pollution index: a proposal based on secondary data to assess air quality

ABSTRACT

This work aimed to propose a method to assess the air quality of a given region, based on secondary data. The proposed methodology is based on the elaboration of an air pollution index (API), developed from the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. API uses secondary data from the sources of atmospheric emissions and data related to air pollution. This relationship generates a dimensionless value that classifies air quality into five ranges. With the application of the proposed methodology, data from 11 municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), five municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (MRBH) and four municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Greater Vitória (MRGV) were analyzed. These municipalities have an automatic air quality monitoring network. Results show that ten municipalities in the MRSP, four municipalities in the MRGV and three municipalities in the MRBH had the API classified as moderate, with reference to the year 2017. This information is proven when compared with the air quality index (AQI) for the year 2017 of these municipalities. It was concluded that the proposed methodology proved to be an appropriate method for air quality assessment and can be used as a viable tool in the management of atmospheric air quality in Brazilian states or in any other country.

Keywords:
air quality index; atmospheric pollution; data analysis