Dr. Marzuki Hj.

Ismail
Semester I 2009/10
ENTECH
 a numerical scale used to compare variables
with one another or with some reference
number
 Ambient air quality standards identify individual
pollutants and the concentrations at which they become
harmful to public health and the environment.

 The standards are typically set without regard to

economic feasibility for attainment.

 They focus on public health, including the health of

"sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children and
the elderly, and

 Public welfare, including protection against decreased

visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation,
aquatic resources and buildings.
 The Malaysian government, established ambient air quality
guidelines in 1988.
 Pollutants in RMAQ - ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen
dioxide, sulfur dioxide, total suspended particles, particulate
matter under 10 microns, lead and dust fall.
 The averaging time, which varies from 1 to 24 hours for the
different air pollutants in the RMAQG, represents the period
of time over which measurements is monitored and reported
for the assessment of human health impacts of specific air
pollutants.
 In 1996, for regional harmonization and for easy
comparison with ASEAN, DOE revised its index
system, and the Pollutant Index (API) was
adopted.
 The API system of Malaysia closely follows the
Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) system of the US.
 The Recommended Malaysian Air Quality
Guidelines (RMG) which form the basis for
calculating the API are presented in Table 1.
 These guidelines have been derived from
available scientific and human health data, and
basically represent "safe levels" below which no
adverse health effects have been observed.
 The RMG are generally comparable to the
corresponding air quality standards
recommended by the WHO and other countries.
 API DESCRIPTOR COLOUR

0-50 GOOD

51-100 MODERATE

101-200 UNHEALTHY

201-300 VERY UNHEALTHY

> 300 HAZARDOUS

 At 100 for the various air pollutants correspond to the
respective RMG concentrations regarded as being "safe
levels".
 Air quality with API values exceeding 100 are considered
likely to cause health effects to the general public.
API Status Level of Pollution Health Measures
0-50 Good Pollution low and  No restriction of activities for
has no ill all groups of people
effects on  To practice healthy lifestyle,
health e.g. not to smoke, exercise
regularly and to observe
proper nutrition.
51-100 Moderate Moderate  No restriction of activities for
pollution and all groups of people
has no ill  To practice healthy lifestyle,
effects on e.g. not to smoke, exercise
health regularly and to observe
proper nutrition.
101- Unhealthy Mild aggravation  Restriction of outdoor
200 of symptoms activities for high risk
among high persons.
risk persons,  General population should
i.e. those with reduce vigorous outdoor
heart or lung activity
disease
201-300 Very Significant  Elderly and persons with
Unhealthy aggravation known heart or lung disease
of symptoms should stay indoors and reduce
and physical activity.
decreased  General population should
exercise avoid vigorous outdoor activity
tolerance in
person with
heart or
lung disease

301-500 Hazardous Severe  Elderly and persons with

aggravation known heart or lung disease
of symptoms should stay indoors and reduce
and physical activity.
endangers  General population should
health avoid vigorous outdoor activity
 Those with any health
problems to consult doctor.
> 500 Emergency Severe General population advised to
aggravation of follow the orders of the National
symptoms and Security Council and always to
endangers follow the announcements
health through mass media.
Eqn. to calculate API (CO) based on 8-hr avg.
conc.( x).
 x < 9 ppm; API = (x * 11.11111)

 9 < x < 15 ppm; API = 100 + {(x -9) * 16.66667}

 15 < x < 30 ppm; API = 200 + {(x -15) * 6.66667}

 x > 30 ppm; API = 300 + {(x -30) * 10}

 Where x = concentration of CO in ppm.

 API Sub-Index Function for CO
500
API SUB-INDEX

400

300

200

100

0
0 5 9 15 30 40 50
CO (8-hr Running Avg), ppm
 Eqn. to calculate API (O3) based on 1-hr avg. conc.
 x < 0.2 ppm; API = (x * 1000)
 0.2 < x < 0.4 ppm; API = 200 + {(x - 0.2) * 500}
 x > 0.4 ppm; API = 300 + {(x – 0.4) * 1000}
 Where x = concentration of O3 in ppm.
 API Sub-Index for O3

600
500
API-SUBINDEX

400
300
200
100
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.6
O3 (1-hr avg), ppm
 Eqn. to calculate API (NO2) based on 1-hr avg. conc.
 x < 0.17 ppm; API = (x * 588.23529)
 0.17 < x < 0.6 ppm; API = 100 + {(x - 0.17) *
232.56}
 0.6 < x < 1.2 ppm; API = 200 + {(x - 0.6) * 166.667}
 x > 1.2 ppm; API = 300 + {(x -1.2) * 250}

 Where x = concentration of NO2 in ppm.

 API Sub-Index for N O 2

500

400
API Sub-Index

300

200

100

0
0.085 0.17 0.6 1.2 1.6 2
N O2 (1-hr avg), ppm
 Eqn. to calculate API (SO2) based on 24-hr avg. conc.
 x < 0.04 ppm; API = (x * 2500)
 0.04 < x < 0.3 ppm; API = 100 + {(x - 0.04) *
384.61}
 0.3 < x < 0.6 ppm; API = 200 + {(x - 0.3) * 333.333}
 x > 0.6 ppm; API = 300 + {(x -0.6) * 500}

 Where x = concentration of SO2 in ppm.

 API Sub-Index for SO 2

500
400
API Sub-Index

300
200
100
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.3 0.6 0.8 1
SO2 (24-hr running avg),ppm
 Eqn. to calculate API (PM10) based on 24-hr avg.
conc.
 x < 50 ug/m3; API = x
 50 < x < 350; API = 50 + {(x - 50) * 0.5}
 350 < x < 420; API = 200 + {(x - 350) * 1.4286}
 420 < x < 500; API = 300 + {(x - 420) * 1.25}
 x > 500 ug/m3; API = 400 + (x -500)

 Where x = concentration of PM10 in ug/m3.

 API Sub-Index for PM10

500
400
API Sub-Index

300
200
100
0
0 50 150 350 420 500 600
3
PM10 (24-hr running avg), ug/ m
 Calculate the API and give a verbal description
of air that contains 7 mg/m3 CO (8-hour
average), 300 g/m3 TSP (24-hour average),
and 100 g/m3 SO2?