Hanoi’s air quality suffers while Saigon air remains good Wednesday

U.S. weather forecast service AccuWeather recorded the air quality index (AQI) in Hanoi on Wednesday morning at 63, ranking it “poor.”

The service recorded a PM2.5 level of 32 µg/m3 in Hanoi on Wednesday. Hanoi’s AQI is forecast to be between 65 and 86 until Saturday. A higher index means worse air pollution.

Meanwhile in HCMC the air quality on Wednesday was ranked as “excellent” by AccuWeather, with the AQI at 19. The level of PM2.5 in the air was also recorded at only 8 µg/m3, and also ranked as “excellent.”

Their quality in HCMC is projected to be either “excellent” or “fair” through Saturday, with AQI forecast to be between 20-21.

Switzerland-based air quality monitoring facility IQAir AirVisual ranked Hanoi’s AQI on Wednesday at 127, meaning the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The PM2.5 level is recorded to be at 46 µg/m3, which is 9.2 times that of WHO air quality standards, according to AirVisual.

The AQI in Hanoi will range from 127 to 173 until Saturday, which is either unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, or simply unhealthy.

Meanwhile, the AQI in HCMC on Wednesday is recorded to be at 86, which means an average air quality, and PM2.5 level in the air is at 28.9 µg/m3, according to AirVisual.

Until Sunday, the air quality in HCMC is expected to stay at a moderate level, with the AQI ranging from 75 to 95, 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.