Over the last 3 decades many governments acknowledged that the quality of our air has deteriorate and with this deterioration the health of its citizen is at risk. To protect its citizens, ambient air standards were introduced which regulates the maximum tolerable concentration of outdoor air pollutants. Not every governmental organization monitors the same criteria pollutants or use the same allowed concentrations.
Lets have a look on the major organizations in the world:
| The World Health Organizations | The 2005 “WHO Air quality guidelines” offer global guidance on thresholds and limits for key air pollutants that pose health risks. |
| In the USA | The United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). NAAQS set attainment thresholds for sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides NOx, and lead (Pb) in outdoor air throughout the United States |
| In the European Union | The EU has developed an extensive body of legislation which establishes health based standards and objectives for a number of pollutants in air. It regulates sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides and lead (same as the US) but also benzene, arsenic, cadmium, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
| In China | The Environmental policy in China is set by the National People’s Congress and managed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Ambient air quality has been regulated in China since 1982, when initial limits were set for TSP (Total Suspended Particulates), SO2, NO2, lead, and BaP (Benzo(a)pyrene). In 1996, the standard was both strengthened and expanded from 1982 levels. In 2000, the standard was updated with less stringent limits for certain pollutants. In February 2012, China released a new ambient air quality standard, which sets limits for the first time on PM2.5. The new standards take effect nationwide in 2016, but many cities and regions in China are required to implement the standards earlier than the national timeline |
| In India | In India the environmental standards are set by the Ventral Pollution Control Board of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. 2010 for the first time after 15 years India had revised its air quality standards and have lowered maximum limits for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10, and introduced new limits for pollutants left out earlier, including ozone, PM2.5, arsenic, nickel, benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (as benzo(a)pyrene) |
| In Indonesia | The 1997 Government Act No. 23 on Environmental Management and the 1999 Government Regulation No. 44 on Air Pollution Control are the main acts controlling air pollution in Indonesia. Under the 2001 Jakarta Governor’s Decree No. 551, the city of Jakarta has developed its own set of standards that are stricter than the national standards for some pollutants |
| In Australia | The National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Ambient Air Quality NEPM) was established in 1998 to provide a common national goal to best protect human health and well-being from the adverse impacts of air pollution. It provides a consistent framework to assess Australia’s ambient (outdoor) air quality. It sets national ambient air quality standards for six common air pollutants as well as mandatory monitoring and reporting requirements against these standards. On 15 December 2015, the National Environment Protection Council agreed to strengthen the reporting standards for particles based on the latest scientific understanding of the health risks arising from airborne particle pollution. This is a key initial action under the National Clean Air Agreement |
Before we have a look on the comparison chart we should talk a bit about the major units in use when it comes to measure pollutants. Concentrations of gaseous pollutants is sometimes given in units of mass per volume, and at other times in ppb (parts per billion) or ppm (parts per million) by volume (or they are provided in µg/m3 is micro grams of gaseous pollutant per cubic meter of ambient air. To do the math you have to be aware that there is no simple single formula you can use to convert the two types of units. The general equation is μg/m3 = (ppb)*(12.187)*(M) / (273.15 + °C) where M is the molecular weight of the gaseous pollutant. Way easier it is to note down the conversion ration of the main pollutants – please note: The conversion factors were calculated assuming and ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature of 25 deg Celsius.
| SO2 | 1 ppb | = 2.62 μg/m3 |
| NO2 | 1 ppb | = 1.88 μg/m3 |
| NO | 1 ppb | = 1.25 μg/m3 |
| O3 | 1 ppb | = 2.00 μg/m3 |
| CO | 1 ppb | = 1.145 μg/m3 |
| Benzene | 1 ppb | = 3.19 μg/m3 |
Major World Standards in Comparison:
| Country/Region | Pollutant PM 2.5 | Pollutant PM 10 | Pollutant Ozone | Pollutant SO2 | Pollutant NO2 | Pollutant CO | Pollutant Benzene | |||||||||||||||||
| annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 8h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 8h/m3 | 1h/m3 | annual/m3 | 24h/m3 | 1h/m3 | 3 month av. | |
| European Union | 25 µg | 40 µg | 50 µg | 120 µg | 100 μg | 20 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 5 µg | ||||||||||||
| Germany (2004) | 14 µg | 30 µg | 20 μg | 50 µg | 75 µg | 32 µg | 140 µg | 7 mg | 3.5 µg | 0.15 μg | ||||||||||||||
| USA | 12 µg | 35 µg | 150 µg | 137 µg | 80 µg | 365 µg | 196 µg | 100 µg | 188 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | |||||||||||||
| India | 40 µg | 60 µg | 60 µg | 100 µg | 100 µg | 180 µg | 50 µg | 80 µg | 40 µg | 80 µg | 0.2 mg | 5 µg | ||||||||||||
| China | 15 µg | 35 µg | 40 µg | 50 µg | 100 µg | 160 μg | 20 μg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 40 µg | 80 µg | 200 µg | 4 mg | 10 mg | ||||||||||
| Russia | 35 µg | 60 µg | 30 µg | 50 µg | 40 µg | 3 mg | ||||||||||||||||||
| Australia | 8 μg | 25 μg | 50 µg | 189 μg | 52 μg | 209 μg | 524 μg | 226 μg | 10 mg | |||||||||||||||
| Indonesia | 150 µg | 50 µg | 200 µg | 60 µg | 365 µg | 900 µg | 60 µg | 150 µg | 400 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | |||||||||||||
| South Africa | 180 μg | 120 µg | 226 μg | 13 µg | 125 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | |||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 8 μg | 25 μg | 20 μg | 50 µg | 128 µg | 161 µg | 30 µg | 125 µg | 196 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | 0.45 µg | ||||||||||
| UK | 25 µg | 40 µg | 50 µg | 123 µg | 160 μg | 20 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 60 µg | 188 µg | 5.5 mg | 14.3 mg | 5 µg | |||||||||||
| Brazil | 50 µg | 150 µg | 160 μg | 20 μg | 100 µg | 320 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 15 µg | 35 µg | 100 µg | 200 µg | 113 µg | 282 µg | 123 μg | 247 μg | 3 μg | |||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 15 µg | 65 µg | 50 µg | 120 µg | 156 μg | 215.6 μg | 66 μg | 288 μg | 395 μg | 12.6 mg | ||||||||||||||
| South Korea | 25 µg | 50 µg | 50 µg | 100 µg | 127 µg | 211 µg | 57 µg | 140 µg | 423 µg | 63 μg | 122 µg | 203 µg | 11.1 mg | 30.8 mg | 5 µg | |||||||||
| Thailand | 25 µg | 50 µg | 50 µg | 120 µg | 140 µg | 200 µg | 100 µg | 300 µg | 780 µg | 57 µg | 320 µg | 10.26 mg | 34.2 mg | |||||||||||
| Scotland | 12 µg | 18 μg | 50 μg | 100 µg | 20 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 30 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | ||||||||||||||
| New Zealand | 25 μg | 20 μg | 50 μg | 100 µg | 150 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 100 μg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | 3.6 μg | ||||||||||||
| Pakistan | 15 µg | 35 µg | 15 μg | 120 μg | 150 µg | 130 μg | 80 µg | 120 µg | 40 µg | 40 µg | 5 mg | 10 mg | ||||||||||||
| Nigeria | 250 µg | 260 µg | 113 µg | 11.4 mg | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bangladesh | 15 µg | 65 µg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 157 µg | 235 µg | 80 µg | 365 µg | 100 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | |||||||||||||
| Philippines | 60 µg | 150 µg | 200 µg | 60 µg | 140 µg | 80 µg | 180 µg | 340 µg | 150 µg | 260 µg | 10 mg | 35 mg | ||||||||||||
| Ethiopia | 15 µg | 65 µg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 120 µg | 50 µg | 125 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | ||||||||||||||
| Vietnam | 50 µg | 150 µg | 80 µg | 120 µg | 180 µg | 50 µg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 100 μg | 200 µg | 5 mg | 10 mg | 30 mg | ||||||||||
| Egypt | 70 µg | 120 µg | 200 µg | 60 µg | 150 µg | 350 µg | 150 µg | 400 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | ||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | 35 µg | 75 µg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 120 µg | 200 µg | 105 µg | 350 µg | 75 µg | 320 µg | 10 mg | 35 mg | ||||||||||||
| Iran | 50 µg | 100 µg | 395 µg | 100 µg | 11.1 mg | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mongolia | 25 µg | 50 µg | 100 µg | 10 μg | 20 µg | 35 µg | 40 µg | 10 mg | ||||||||||||||||
| UAE | 150 µg | 120 µg | 200 µg | 60 µg | 150 µg | 350 µg | 150 µg | 400 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | ||||||||||||||
| Kenya | 35 µg | 75 µg | 70 µg | 150 µg | 120 µg | 200 µg | 80 µg | 125 µg | 150 µg | 100 μg | 5 mg | 10 mg | ||||||||||||
| Ukraine | 50 µg | 40 µg | 3 mg | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Singapore | 18 µg | 51 µg | 30 µg | 75 µg | 135 µg | 12 µg | 83 µg | 24 µg | 121 µg | 1.8 mg | 2.7 mg | |||||||||||||
| Senegal | 80 µg | 260 µg | 120 µg | 50 µg | 125 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 30 mg | ||||||||||||||||
| Saudi Arabia | 15 µg | 35 µg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 160 µg | 235 µg | 80 µg | 365 µg | 730 µg | 100 µg | 660 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | |||||||||||
| Rwanda | 35 µg | 75 µg | 70 µg | 150 µg | 200 µg | 80 µg | 125 µg | 150 µg | 100 μg | 5 mg | 10 mg | |||||||||||||
| Macedonia | 40 µg | 50 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 5 µg | ||||||||||||||||
| Lebanon | 80 μg | 100 µg | 150 μg | 80 µg | 120 µg | 350 µg | 100 µg | 150 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | 16.2 μg | ||||||||||||
| Kuwait | 15 µg | 35 µg | 90 µg | 150 µg | 100 µg | 20 µg | 75 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | |||||||||||||
| Israel | 25 µg | 60 µg | 150 µg | 160 µg | 60 µg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | |||||||||||||||
| Kosovo | 40 µg | 50 μg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | |||||||||||||||||
| Ghana | 100 µg | 150 µg | 50 µg | 100 µg | 350 µg | 80 µg | ||||||||||||||||||
| Turkey | 60 µg | 100 µg | 60 µg | 250 µg | 500 µg | 60 µg | 300 µg | 10 mg | 10 mg | |||||||||||||||
| Qatar | 50 µg | 150 µg | 120 µg | 235 µg | 80 µg | 365 µg | 100 µg | 150 µg | 400 µg | 10 mg | 40 mg | |||||||||||||
| Iraq | 15 µg | 65 µg | 150 µg | 127 µg | 50 µg | 113 µg | 280 µg | 80 µg | 100 μg | 12.3 mg | 37 mg | |||||||||||||
| Peru | 15 µg | 65 µg | 50 µg | 150 µg | 120 µg | 80 µg | 365 µg | 100 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | |||||||||||||
| Serbia | 50 µg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 60 µg | 85 µg | 150 μg | 5 mg | |||||||||||||||||
| Zambia | 70 µg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 150 µg | 400 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | |||||||||||||||||
| Cyprus | 25 µg | 40 µg | 50 μg | 120 µg | 125 µg | 350 µg | 40 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 30 mg | 5 µg | |||||||||||||
| Mauritius | 100 µg | 100 μg | 50 µg | 200 µg | 350 µg | 200 µg | 10 mg | 25 mg | ||||||||||||||||