Ryan Chow

English

Air Pollution
Comparison Project
April - June 2015 Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore
Aim - This project aims to collect API readings (PM2.5 Particles) and compare them with other
cities. The project will run from April to June 2015. Readings will be from the same time, once a
day at 8.30AM. Weather will be included in the comparison.
Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

06/04/2015

18

17

55

70

Weather

Sunny

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

07/04/2015

31

95

46

55

Weather

Cloudy

Rain

Sunny

Thunderstorms

08/04/2015

15

76

170

38

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

Thunderstorms

09/04/2015

21

72

191

55

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Thunderstorms

10/04/2015

12

117

258

49

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

11/04/2015

32

132

269

38

Weather

Rain

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

12/04/2015

44

122

65

60

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

13/04/2015

111

124

53

78

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

14/04/2015

56

107

170

55

Weather

Sunny

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

15/04/2015

76

166

188

65

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

16/04/2015

71

157

99

30

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

17/04/2015

59

109

153

91

Ryan Chow

English
Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

18/04/2015

54

129

203

51

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

19/04/2015

14

171

89

57

Weather

Sunny

Fog

Cloudy

Rain

20/04/2015

41

112

179

68

Weather

Rain

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

21/04/2015

20

137

174

147

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

22/04/2015

76

153

165

53

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

23/04/2015

65

162

170

59

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

24/04/2015

84

117

155

68

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

25/04/2015

62

167

169

63

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

26/04/2015

66

139

187

46

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Thunderstorms

27/04/2015

55

117

173

53

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

28/04/2015

65

168

132

58

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

29/04/2015

41

154

192

65

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

30/04/2015

66

173

187

61

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

01/05/2015

38

95

215

63

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

02/05/2015

28

114

129

68

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

Thunderstorms

03/05/2015

22

132

137

20

Ryan Chow

English
Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Rain

04/05/2015

30

177

50

53

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

05/05/2015

12

70

157

112

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

06/05/2015

71

99

42

70

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

07/05/2015

21

156

144

45

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

08/05/2015

23

99

149

60

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

09/05/2015

21

59

112

25

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

10/05/2015

13

114

132

37

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

11/05/2015

37

85

107

39

Weather

Cloudy

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

12/05/2015

23

144

57

55

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

Thunderstorms

13/05/2015

65

122

132

61

Weather

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

14/05/2015

52

154

42

45

Weather

Sunny

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

15/05/2015

53

119

76

61

Weather

Cloudy

Thunderstorms

Sunny

Cloudy

16/05/2015

38

152

117

57

Weather

Thunderstorms

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

17/05/2015

49

132

183

39

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

18/05/2015

42

152

82

61

Weather

Cloudy

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

19/05/2015

12

164

43

89

Ryan Chow

English
Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

20/05/2015

50

151

53

42

Weather

Cloudy

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

21/05/2015

25

91

82

87

Weather

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

22/05/2015

43

70

155

54

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

23/05/2015

46

82

197

85

Weather

Thunderstorms

Cloudy

Cloudy

Thunderstorms

24/05/2015

55

157

218

70

Weather

Thunderstorms

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

25/05/2015

66

117

185

59

Weather

Thunderstorms

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

26/05/2015

57

87

176

54

Weather

Rain

Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

27/05/2015

28

97

178

55

Weather

Rain

Rain

Cloudy

Cloudy

28/05/2015

21

91

201

68

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

Rain

29/05/2015

47

72

173

34

Weather

Rain

Rain

Cloudy

Rain

30/05/2015

59

99

134

53

Weather

Cloudy

Rain

Sunny

Cloudy

31/05/2015

23

117

154

36

Weather

Rain

Cloudy

Sunny

Rain

01/06/2015

43

144

173

65

Weather

Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Cloudy

02/06/2015

20

85

38

47

Weather

Sunny

Thunderstorms

Sunny

Cloudy

03/06/2015

42

104

43

Weather

Sunny

Cloudy

Cloudy

Cloudy

04/06/2015

35

107

89

26

Ryan Chow

English

Weather

Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

Sunny

Sunny

Rain

Cloudy

Findings
Tables - Part One
Average Readings (Mean)
City

Average

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

42 PM2.5/m3

Shanghai, China

119 PM2.5/m3

Beijing, China

138 PM2.5/m3

Singapore, Singapore

58 PM2.5/m3
Readings (Total)

City

Per 2 Months

Per Year

Percentage of Total

Hong Kong,
Hong Kong

2528 PM2.5/2 months

15,168 PM2.5/year

12%

Shanghai, China

7141 PM2.5/2 months

42,846 PM2.5/year

33%

Beijing, China

8308 PM2.5/2 months

49,848 PM2.5/year

39%

Singapore, Singapore

3471 PM2.5/2 months

20,826 PM2.5/year

16%

All Cities

21,448 PM2.5/2
months

128,688 PM2.5/
year

Statements
(Focus:
Hong Kong)

Hong Kongs air quality is 2.824762658 times

better than Shanghais during the time
assessed.
Hong
Kongs
air
quality
is 3.286392405 times

better than Beijings during the time

assessed.
Hong Kongs air quality is 1.373022152 times
better than Singapores during the time
assessed.

Ryan Chow

English
Subjects and Units

Subject

Product/Unit

Project Duration

60 Days

Particles Measured and Area Measured (Cubic

Meters)

PM2.5 Particles/Cubic Metre (3)

Cities Tested

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore

Weather Types Measured (Weather measured

is of 8.30AM)

Sunny, Rain, Cloudy, Thunderstorms, Snow,

Hail, Sleet, Fog, Tornado, Typhoon/Hurricane,
Firestorm.

Rankings (During the time assessed)

1

Hong Kong

Singapore

Shanghai

Beijing

Findings
Charts - Part Two
Hong Kong

Shanghai

16%

Beijing

Singapore

12%

33%
39%

Ryan Chow

English

Hong Kong

Shanghai

Beijing

Singapore

Explanation of Findings and Subject Particle

PM2.5 Particles are one of the most common harmful particles in the air. They are normally
produced by vehicle-exhausts (aeroplanes, ground vehicles, boats), factories/power plants, fires,
etc. Human activity and waste is usually the biggest factor to the composition of these particles.
They can penetrate deep into the lungs which can cause respiratory diseases/problems, cancer,
death and many others. The lower the reading of these particles, the less-health threatening they
are to organisms and the environment. Pollution has been known to cause global warming, the
melting of ice, ozone destruction and many other problems.
The cities surveyed are all in east Asia. This projects aim (as stated above) is to compare these
four cities readings, present them in charts, and determine which city has the lowest pollution
readings of them all and to rank them accordingly.
Conclusion
Over the period of 60 days, the readings taken prove the following ranking of the cities in order
from the least polluted to the most. Weather can contribute to the amount of air pollution in a
specific region. For example, water particles of high quantity help disperse air pollutants during
times of precipitation. The climate and wind of the area affects air quality too. Hong Kongs location
at the southern coast of China defines its probability to air quality hazards as low since coastal
winds and a sub-tropical climate help disperse pollutants quickly. In contrast, Beijings location at
the edge of the Gobi desert and the slow moving winds there help pollutants remain in the area.
In the time assessed, Hong Kong was the least polluted city followed by Singapore, Shanghai and
Beijing.

Ryan Chow

English

Sources and Citations

This projects readings is from the organisation AQICN.
Hong Kong - http://aqicn.org/city/hongkong/
Shanghai - http://aqicn.org/city/shanghai/
Beijing - http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/
Singapore - http://aqicn.org/city/singapore/central/
Weather forecasts are from weather.com, The Weather Channel, Hong Kong Observatory and
forecast.io
Document and Data Calculations
Apple Mac OSX 10.10.4, Apple Pages 5.5.3, Apple Numbers 3.5.3

Produced by Ryan Chow

2015