APOLO MMXX| A One Health Approach
A One Health Approach
Air quality semaphore
Summary
The Air Quality Semaphore was developed as a device capable of obtaining the air quality index (AQI) of a specific geographic location, alerting individuals around them to vulnerable groups to prolonged air exposure, and providing recommendations in real time. Based on data provided by satellite measurements performed by CSA that would be processed through an algorithm that places the values obtained in the AQI proposed by the AirNow organization. Then, it is possible to respond to the need to keep the population informed about the precautions they should take, monitoring the impact of their activities on the environment, specifically on air quality, and promoting mitigation actions.
How We Addressed This Challenge
The Air Quality Semaphore was developed as a device capable of obtaining the air quality index AQI of a specific geographic location, alerting individuals around them to vulnerable groups (according to AirNow data) to prolonged air exposure, and providing recommendations to compensate for the effects of the increase in air pollutant levels in real time.
Based on data provided by satellite measurements of gas concentration such as carbon monoxide, dioxide of sulfide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide (CO, SO2, O3, NO2) performed by CSA that would be processed through an algorithm that places the values obtained in the AQI proposed by the AirNow organization, and thus classify the level of health risk of those exposed to air in the vicinity of the location of the semaphore. In this way, it is possible to respond to the need to keep the population informed about the precautions they should take when doing outdoor activities, thus reducing preventable health complications from breathing contaminated air and, in the same way, monitoring the impact of their activities on the environment, specifically on air quality, raising awareness of environmental pollution , and thus climate damage, and promoting mitigation actions.
How We Developed This Project
Every year, many people die from respiratory diseases, which according to the WHO, are caused by inhaling polluted air. Air quality Semaphore provides a friendly alternative to alert individuals around the stoplight to which groups are vulnerable to prolonged exposure to polluted air, and provide recommendations to offset the effects of increased levels of airborne pollutants. in real time.
This would be done as a first alternative through software developed from databases obtained from CSA, specifically the SCISAT satellite, together with other comparator devices forming an open loop control system; as a second alternative, it was considered to use integrated sensors to measure not only the levels of solid pollutants but also the particulate matter and solar radiation for a more complete information service. One of the main limitations is the lack of information on the duration, continuity and other characteristics of the operation of the satellites, to determine how often the data to be processed would be obtained.
In this way, the population will be able to monitor the effects of pollution on air quality and raise awareness about the abuse of polluting products or devices, as well as take precautions to safeguard their health and that of their loved ones.
How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project
The data used in the development of the project are those obtained from the CSA, from the SCISAT satellite, as this satellite measures more atmospheric gases than any other in the world. Your dataset contains multiple air pollutants for which the following polluting gases were taken into account.
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Ozone (O3)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
The concentration of pollutants in a certain area was analyzed in real time and from that the area was located in a range of contamination which is based on sources and studies on air quality and people's health, the processed data They are transmitted instantly to pollution traffic lights, allowing people to know how polluted the air they breathe is.
Data & Resources
- https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/health-prof/common-air-pollutants-2011-lo.pdf
- https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-calculator-concentration/
- https://www.airnow.gov/faqs/how-nowcast-algorithm-used-report/
- ftp://data.asc-csa.gc.ca/users/OpenData_DonneesOuvertes/pub/MOPITT/
- ftp://data.asc-csa.gc.ca/users/OpenData_DonneesOuvertes/pub/SCISAT/Data%202004-2020/
- https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/what-we-do/health-air-quality/inside-health-air-quality
- https://www.cdc.gov/air/pollutants.htm