Air quality in Europe, the map in real time

Last summer she was relied on to end the Droughtnow a little rain would be used to ‘wash’ the air that is breathed in many northern cities Italy. The Po Valley, in fact, is one of the European areas where you can breathe the worst air.

This is demonstrated by the data collected and distributed by the European Environment Agency (EEA), which indicate the area between Alps they Apennines as one of those with the lowest air quality. In fact, the EEA collects data from the control units present in the countries of the Union and in those of the free trade area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway And Swiss). Data used to compile an index of the air quality and which are made available on this map, on which each point represents a monitoring station:

If you want to assign a numerical value to this index, the points in blue are those with the best air quality, i.e. with a concentration of Pm10 less than 20 micrograms per meter. Purple, on the other hand, indicates the worst situation, with levels above 150 micrograms at the metrocube. The light red that characterizes the Po valley indicates concentrations between 50 and of 100 micrograms per meter. These are values ​​above the alarm threshold, set at 50 micrograms at the metrocube. A limit that cannot be exceeded for more than 35 days the year.

However, the index is not calculated only on the basis of Pm10, but also takes into account other pollutants. That is the Pm2.5the nitrogen dioxideL’ozone and the sulfur dioxide. However, if we want to focus on PM10, the pollutant most commonly talked about in the media, the situation is this:

Also in this map the points represent the control units. The colors vary from green to red depending on the increase in the concentration of Pm10. And also in this case the Po Valley is confirmed as one of the areas with the worst air.

To know in real time the situationin addition to consulting these two maps, you can download an app, developed for both iOs that for Android, which allows you to know the situation in the control units installed near the area where you live. And understand, therefore, how polluted the air you are breathing is.