Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

Timely, reliable, and accurate data on the ambient concentrations of key pollutants is critical for making informed decisions about public health protection, evaluating the effectiveness of control strategies, and tracking progress toward meeting air quality goals, as well as informing citizens about the quality of the air they breathe and, in the event of severe air pollution episodes, implementing additional protection and control measures. In this context, this chapter reviews the state of air quality monitoring in each Southeast Asian country, covering air quality monitoringAir quality monitoringnetworks networks operated for regulatory and warning purposes, networks of monitors assessing directly or indirectly specific air quality’s aspects, and the use of low-cost monitors to complement existing air quality monitoring systems. The pollutant species monitored and the concentration thresholds set as air quality standardsAir qualitystandards in each country are examined, as well as the air quality indices used to facilitate the dissemination and understanding of air quality conditions. The reader will also learn about international initiatives, non-profit organizations, and private groups that compile and archive ground-level air quality monitoring data and make it available to the public.