In this post, we will discuss a topic related to the Environmental Data, namely the Air Quality. Some of the information that we will cover today is how to use an API to retrieve the Air Quality Index. So, if you want to know more about it, keep reading.
The air quality is not very good nowadays. You may not know it but there are tiny particles in the air that are not good for our health at all. The particles can be so tiny that we can’t see them. But they can do a lot of damage to our bodies like causing breathing problems, lung cancer and other health problems.
Particles can be found in many different forms of air pollution like smoke, ash and dust. So, as you can guess it’s better not to be in a place where pollution is high. But if you need to know where the pollution levels are high you can use an API for that.
How do you know if the air quality is bad?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures the levels of five pollutants: ozone; particulate matter; nitrogen dioxide; carbon monoxide; and sulfur dioxide. All these pollutants can affect our health, but some of them like ozone and particulate matter are more dangerous than others; and so, they get higher AQI levels.
The AQI ranges from 0 to 500, with a higher number meaning greater air quality risk. So, if the AQI is less than 50, the air quality is excellent, if it’s between 50 and 100 it’s good; 101-150: moderate; 151 – 200: unhealthy for sensitive groups; 201-300: very unhealthy; 301-500: hazardous.
This information is provided by an API that uses sensors to detect pollutants and then calculates the AQI using mathematical models. This can tell us what level of pollution we have in our area when it comes to air quality because this type of Environmental Data is very important for us to know about and take care of it.
Analyzing Air Quality With APIs
The EPA publishes data on its website regarding the current Air Quality Index levels in different cities across the United States and Canada; but what if you are not from these countries? What if you want to know about the Air Quality in other countries or even other cities around the world? You will need one of those global APIs that cover hundreds of cities around the world and retrieve data like temperature or air quality
This API will retrieve the current, historical, and forecasted Air Quality Index of any location in the world.
To make use of it, you must first:
1- Go to Air Quality Index API and simply click on the button “Subscribe for free” to start using the API.
2- After signing up in Zyla API Hub, you’ll be given your personal API key. Using this one-of-a-kind combination of numbers and letters, you’ll be able to use, connect, and manage APIs!
3- Employ the different API endpoints depending on what you are looking for.
4- Once you meet your needed endpoint, make the API call by pressing the button “run” and see the results on your screen.
