Punta Banda- Cantu Air Quality Survey

Punta Banda Air Quality
Current Conditions
 
Detailed Historical Data
Particulate matter     Today     Monthly   
Carbon dioxide     Today     Monthly   
Air quality is an important facet of environmental health. Populations in both the developed and developing world have a significant health burden due to airborne pollutants 1. Air quality (AQ) monitoring infrastructure is an important aspect of improving public health with regards to air pollution but most countries do not yet have national AQ monitoring networks and only a few provide real time information to the public. Although there is a significant public health interest in air quality in Mexico and efforts are ongoing, AQ data remains sparse 2.

Science for the People is continuously monitoring AQ in the Punta Banda, Baja California. Our data is available online and in real time whenever possible. We are currently able to report on ambient levels of particulate matter (in two size ranges) and CO2 concentration in real time ( Open current conditions pop-up).

Science for the People is also surveying air quality (particulate matter, CO, CO2, O2) at local schools and public gathering areas (see sampling data here.). We are in the process of trying to expand both the spectrum of pollutants that we can measure as well as the duration, frequency, and and scope of locations sampled. This process is ongoing and we invite your support.


Ambient Particulate Matter (PM) Daily Average (2014-)


Punta Banda Air Quality: Bracket bar at bottom of graph allows for zooming. Rolling over the interior gives specific values.

Air Pollution
"Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans."
Jacques Cousteau, (1910-1997)
French explorer & environmentalist 		Jacques Cousteau, French explorer & environmentalist

Air quality has a direct influence on human and environmental health in both the developed and developing world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that indoor air pollution causes almost 2 million premature deaths annually (mostly in developing countries) and that half of these deaths are due to pneumonia in children under the age of five years 1. Outdoor air pollution is estimated to contribute to 6.7% of all deaths worldwide 3. Most regions of the world are without any systematic or consistent air quality monitoring network, thus there remains little data on rural outdoor air pollution or associated health burdens.


Atmospheric CO2 Daily Average (2014-)


Punta Banda Air Quality: Bracket bar at bottom of graph allows for zooming. Rolling over the interior gives specific data values.




"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
Lee Iacocca, American businessman and CEO Chrysler Corporation (1924-)
Lee Iacocca,
(1924-) American CEO Chrysler Corporation
 






 
Automobiles, trucks, industry, and open air fires emit complex mixtures of air pollutants (see Air Science) but small particulate matter (PM) with diameters of less than 10 microns are thought to be the leading health problem. These small particles can penetrate into the lungs and may enter the bloodstream where they are associated with a broad spectrum of repsiratory infections and cardiopulmonary diseases including asthma and lung cancer. In 2014, WHO estimates that fine particulate matter caused "about 16% of lung cancer deaths, 11% of cardiopulmonary deaths and more than 20% of ischaemic heart disease and stroke" worldwide 3. This is a significant rise in air pollution related deaths from previous estimates 4 and middle-income countries experience this burden disproprtionally2. For instance, in Mexico, urban populations of are exposed to a mean average annual concentration of PM10 of 55 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3)5 whereas the WHO air quality guidelines for PM10 is 20μg/m3.

Punta Banda Maneadero Air Quality Survey
Air Quality Survey Map
Need for improved AQ monitoring
The above statistics are based on often sporadic government and scientific air quality monitoring conducted on the ground in urban environments and worldwide via satellite 6, 7, 8 . The data is extremely valuable but is far from complete. To address the issue of air quality in a comprehensive manner it is important that higher resolution air quality monitoring be extended spatially and implemented continuously.





References:
1. Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health; World Health Organization Media Centre Fact sheet N313; updated March 2014.
2. Air Pollution in Mexico: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map; http://aqicn.org/map/mexico/ Retrieved 7/16/14.
3. Ambient air pollution World Health Organization Global Health Observatory.
4. Cohen et al; The Global Burden of Disease Due to Outdoor Air Pollution; Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 68:1-7, 2005
5. Public Health and Envrionment (PHE): ambient air pollution; Exposure to particulate matter less than 10 microns in diamter in urban areas, 2008-2013.
6. New Map Offers a Global View of Health-Sapping Air Pollution, NASA 09.22.10
7. NASA Plans to Put an Aura Around the Earth NASA .06.03.04
8. Global Air Pollution Map Produced by Envisat's Sciamachy observing the earth, esa