Term: air pollution index (air quality index)
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00196

Definition:
A mathematical combination of the concentrations of air pollutants (weighted in some fashion to reflect the estimated health impact of the specific pollutant) which gives an approximate numerical measure of the quality of the air at a given time. These indices have little scientific basis but have been used to inform the public (in a qualitative fashion) of the degree of pollution present at a given time. It is recommended that the actual measured pollutant concentrations be used by all information services when possible with simultaneous reference given to the corresponding concentrations which are considered by health authorities to be hazardous to human health.

Source: PAC, 1990, 62, 2167. 'Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990)' on page 2172 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199062112167)

Citation: 'air pollution index (air quality index)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00196

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