Air Quality Index Hub

Kuwait

Kuwait Air Quality Index (KAQI)

Background

The Kuwait Air Quality Index (KAQI) is developed and managed by the Environment Public Authority in Kuwait (KEPA). Six criteria pollutants, PM2.5, PM10, CO, O3 , SO2, and NO2 are covered in the methodology. The air quality standards used to establish the values of the KAQI were established in law in 2014 with the Law No. 42 of 2014 1.

Color scale

The Kuwait Air Quality Index scale ranges from 0-500 and uses six colors to represent different bands.

0-50

51-100

101-150

151-200

201-300

301-500

  • Good
  • Acceptable
  • Moderate
  • Bad
  • Very bad
  • Hazardous
Good0-50
Acceptable51-100
Moderate101-150
Bad151-200
Very bad201-300
Hazardous301-500

Note: Adapted from “Air Quality Status” (n.d.), [https://enterprise.emisk.org/eMISKAirQuality/#/KAQI]https://enterprise.emisk.org/eMISKAirQuality/#/KAQI) 2. Accessed 5 Aug. 2024.

Methods

The KAQI uses a sub-index method, wherein an index value is calculated for each of the measured pollutants, then the final KAQI value is chosen from the highest sub-index value of all pollutants evaluated.

PollutantAveraging periodGood
0-50		Acceptable
51-100		Moderate
101-150		Bad
151-200		Very bad
201-300		Hazardous
301-500
PM2.5 μg/m³24 hr.0-2525.1-7575.1-100100.1-150.4150.5-250.4250.5-500.4
PM10 μg/m³24 hr.0-100100.1-350350.1-400400.1-450450.1-500500.1-700
NO2 ppm1 hr.0-0.0530.054-0.10-0.360.361-0.6490.65-1.2491.25-2.049
O3 ppm1 hr.--0.125-0.1640.165-0.2040.205-0.4040.405-0.604
O3 ppm8 hr.0-0.0540.055-0.070.071-0.0850.086-0.1050.106-0.2-
CO ppm8 hr.0-4.44.5-9.49.5-12.412.5-15.415.5-30.430.5-50.4
SO2 ppm1 hr.0-0.0350.036-0.0750.076-0.1850.186-0.3040.305-0.6040.605-1.004

Note: Adapted from “Air Quality Status” (n.d.), [https://enterprise.emisk.org/eMISKAirQuality/#/KAQI]https://enterprise.emisk.org/eMISKAirQuality/#/KAQI) 2. Accessed 5 Aug. 2024.

KAQI values are reported hourly from a rolling average of the pollutant defined period.

Based on the breakpoint values in the table above, a piecewise linear function is used to convert the concentration values to KAQI values. The function is defined as:

KAQIP=IHI−ILOBPHI−BPLO×(CP−BPLO)+ILOKAQI_P = \frac{I_{HI} - I_{LO}}{BP_{HI} - BP_{LO}} \times (C_P - BP_{LO}) + I_{LO}

  • IPI_P – KAQI for pollutant P
  • IHII_{HI} – KAQI value corresponding to BPHIBP_{HI}
  • ILOI_{LO} – KAQI value corresponding to BPLOBP_{LO}
  • BPHIBP_{HI} – Breakpoint ≥ CPC_P
  • BPLOBP_{LO} – Breakpoint ≤ CPC_P
  • CPC_P – Concentration of pollutant P

After all sub-indices for a station are computed, the maximum sub-index value is taken as the final KAQI value for a given station.

KAQI=Max(SIPM2.5,SIPM10,SINO2,SISO2,SIO3,SICO)KAQI = {Max}(SI_{PM_{2.5}}, SI_{PM_{10}}, SI_{NO_{2}}, SI_{SO{2}}, SI_{O_{3}}, SI_{CO})

References

“Environment protection law number (42) for year 2014 With it’s modification by law number (99) for year 2015.” 2015, kdipa.gov.kw/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Law-No.-42-of-2014-regarding-Environment-protection.pdf.

“What is KAQI?” الهيئة العامة للبيئة, epa.gov.kw/Portals/0/PDF/EPALAWEN.pdf.

Footnotes

  1. https://kdipa.gov.kw/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Law-No.-42-of-2014-regarding-Environment-protection.pdf ↩

  2. https://enterprise.emisk.org/eMISKAirQuality/#/KAQI ↩ ↩2