Website publishes air quality updates for capital

ABU DHABI // Air quality and the levels of dangerous toxins in the emirate are being published hourly online from today. The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched the Abu Dhabi Air Quality Index to measure air pollution at 10 sites around the emirate. The index will show levels of five major pollutants: nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, ground-level ozone and particle pollution.

A colour-coded system will show concentrations of pollution compared to health limits set out in the Abu Dhabi air quality guidelines. Green will mean good air quality; yellow, moderate; orange, risk for some groups such as children and the elderly; red, unhealthy; purple, very unhealthy; and maroon, hazardous. "Our emirate is developing quickly and is undergoing a lot of physical change and growth," said Majid al Mansouri, the EAD secretary general.

Editorial, page a27 "This transformation is expected to bring a lot of benefits to our people and future generations. But only if properly managed," he said. Last year EAD installed 10 air quality monitoring stations. Three of the stations are in Abu Dhabi city - at the crossing of Hamdan Street and Salam Street, at the Khadija Primary School and at the Khalifa High School. There are also monitoring stations in Musaffah, Liwa, Gayathi and Al Ain. Each station is equipped with automatic analysers that continuously measure air quality and transfer the data to a central database.

The network will also include data from other monitoring stations operated by other bodies. The Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority operates two stations, while the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is soon to complete installation of eight monitoring stations. In addition, Musaffah, where major industrial projects are being proposed, is going to have four new stations. Large property developers are also required to install monitoring equipment, with the location and duration of use of the equipment being specified by EAD.

The monitoring stations also provide information on other pollutants, such as methane and hydrogen sulphide, emitted from petroleum refineries, paper mills and tanneries. Levels of organic volatile compounds, which could have harmful effects on the human central nervous system, are also monitored. However, neither of these substances is included in the index as there are no guidelines on their maximum permissible value.

The report, The State of Environment Abu Dhabi, published last year, showed that sulphur dioxide levels often exceeded pollution guidelines, mainly in Madinat Zayed, Habshan and Ruwais. The gas can lead to lung disease. Nitrous dioxide, which can contribute to heart and breathing difficulties, has been recorded at levels exceeding the guidelines in parts of Abu Dhabi city, as well as Al Ain and Ruwais.

High ground ozone levels can cause respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. The heavy traffic in Abu Dhabi city produces high levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. The index states that traffic is a major cause of pollution in the city. The air quality data is provided by the National Standardisation Unit for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring. The unit is a partnership initiative between EAD and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU).

The institute will also carry a survey to assess noise pollution levels in Abu Dhabi and prepare a plan on how to tackle this issue. Air quality information can be found at: www.ead.ae vtodorova@thenational.ae