Air Quality Trends Assessment: A Case Study of the Air Quality Index and Village Green Project Trends in Chicago
Citation:
Mannshardt, E., K. Benedict, R. Evans, L. Wang, R. Williams, M. Fuoco, Sue Kimbrough, G. Hagler, S. Stone, AND P. Dickerson. Air Quality Trends Assessment: A Case Study of the Air Quality Index and Village Green Project Trends in Chicago. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, January:1-6, (2021).
Impact/Purpose:
High frequency air quality data are often being compared inappropriately with the air quality index or other data messaging systems. This article compares local AQI data messaging with those associated with data from the Village Green (Chicago) using a statistical basis for such comparisons.
Description:
This paper explores the air quality trends across Chicago and the statistical relationships behind this apparent messaging disagreement of the Village Green bench and the local air quality index values. The analysis finds agreement across the two data sources when considering spatial patterns, correlations, and localized area similarities. Larger-scale trends and site-level differences across the entire Chicago metropolitan region are also considered. The observed messaging disagreement was shown to be primarily related to how the data are summarized and the approach used for AQI reporting; namely, the “highest concentration within the multi-site network” approach used for the city's AQI and the “single site” messaging associated with the independent Village Green Project. The analysis and messaging communication considerations presented here are particularly relevant to interpretation strategies involving air quality readings that provide short-term measurement at sites where regulatory monitoring may not be available.
