Hanoi, HCMC’s air quality unhealthy on Wednesday

U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather recorded the air quality index (AQI) in Hanoi on Wednesday at 123, ranking it “unhealthy.”

The service recorded a PM2.5 level of 68 µg/m3 in Hanoi on Wednesday. Hanoi’s AQI is forecast to be between 124 and 130 until Saturday. A higher index means worse air pollution.

In HCMC the air quality on Wednesday was ranked as “fair” by AccuWeather, with the AQI at 31. The level of PM2.5 in the air was recorded at 13 µg/m3, also ranked as “fair.”

Their quality in HCMC is projected to be “fair” until Saturday, with AQI forecast to be between 37-38.

Switzerland-based air quality monitoring facility IQAir AirVisual ranked Hanoi’s AQI on Wednesday at 108, meaning the air quality is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The PM2.5 level is recorded to be at 38.3 µg/m3, which is 7.7 times that of WHO air quality standards, according to AirVisual.

The AQI in Hanoi will range from 104 to 128 until next Tuesday, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

AirVisual recorded the AQI in HCMC on Wednesday at 142, which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, and PM2.5 level of 52.5 µg/m3, 10.4 times higher than WHO standards.

Until next Tuesday, the air quality in HCMC is expected to stay at a either a moderate level or being unhealthy for sensitive groups, with the AQI ranging from 64 to 120, it said.

PM2.5 is defined as ambient airborne particulate that measures up to 2.5 microns in size, just a fraction of the width of a human hair. Their microscopic size allows these particles to be absorbed deep into the bloodstream upon inhalation, potentially causing health issues such as asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease.

Exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to negative health effects like cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, and premature mortality.