What's the deal with the latest outdoor air quality data remaining hidden? How can I access it?
The Air Quality System (AQS), managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides a comprehensive database of air quality data for the United States. Here's a breakdown of how this system works, along with the role of AirNow in providing near-real-time air quality information.
Organisations reporting air quality data are allowed 90 days following the end of a calendar quarter to submit their data to the AQS. However, many reporting organisations submit data prior to the deadline.
AirNow, a platform for near-real-time air quality data dissemination, provides daily updates for various pollutants by zip code. The data from these monitoring sites are submitted to the EPA's AQS system quarterly for official reporting and record keeping.
The AQS data undergoes a rigorous quality assurance (QA) process. This includes calibration of monitors using NIST-certified primary and transfer standards for various gases and environmental parameters. Audits of monitors are conducted independently by quality assurance teams, including performance audits (accuracy checks) and systems audits (verifying procedures, database organization, and data validity).
Data corrections in AQS likely arise during these QA audits and through systematic reviews, ensuring invalid or erroneous data are identified and fixed or removed before being used in official air quality reporting.
Each nightly pull of AirNow data looks back three days to capture any corrections that might have occurred in the last three days. A 30-day data pull occurs at the end of every month to capture any data corrections outside the rolling three-day pull.
Data summaries and graphics on the AirData website that display Air Quality Index (AQI) or daily concentrations utilize AirNow data, if available, to supplement AQS data. However, it's important to note that outdoor air monitoring data summaries only go back to 1980, and older data may not be readily available.
Not all counties in the U.S. have outdoor air monitoring data. The reason for the absence of an outdoor air monitor in a county is not specified.
The most recent data in AQS could be up to six months old. If recent monitoring data cannot be found, you can contact the reporting agency for updates. When AQS data exists for a site on a given day, it is used instead of AirNow data.
In conclusion, the AQS system, with its robust correction and QA process, provides validated data updated quarterly, while AirNow serves as a platform for near-real-time air quality data dissemination. This combination offers a comprehensive and reliable source of air quality information for the public.
Science plays a crucial role in ensuring health-and-wellness by monitoring and managing air quality. Environmental science, specifically, contributes to this through the Air Quality System (AQS), which undergoes a rigorous quality assurance process to provide validated data quarterly. AirNow, on the other hand, offers near-real-time air quality data, backed by scientific procedures for data corrections and audits, contributing significantly to the environmental-science field and public health.
