‘One Number- One Colour-One Description’ for the common man to judge the air quality within his vicinity. There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. The proposed AQI will consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.
Based on the measured ambient concentrations, corresponding standards and likely health impact, a sub-index is calculated for each of these pollutants. The worst sub-index reflects overall AQI. Associated likely health impacts for different AQI categories and pollutants have been also been suggested, with primary inputs from the medical expert members of the group. The AQI values and corresponding ambient concentrations (health breakpoints) as well as associated likely health impacts for the identified eight pollutants are as follows:
| AQI Category, Pollutants and Health Breakpoints | ||||||||
| AQI Category (Range) | PM10 24-hr | PM2.5 24-hr | NO2 24-hr | O3 8-hr | CO 8-hr (mg/m3) | SO2 24-hr | NH3 24-hr | Pb 24-hr |
| Good (0-50) | 0-50 | 0-30 | 0-40 | 0-50 | 0-1.0 | 0-40 | 0-200 | 0-0.5 |
| Satisfactory (51-100) | 51-100 | 31-60 | 41-80 | 51-100 | 1.1-2.0 | 41-80 | 201-400 | 0.5 –1.0 |
| Moderately polluted (101-200) | 101-250 | 61-90 | 81-180 | 101-168 | 2.1- 10 | 81-380 | 401-800 | 1.1-2.0 |
| Poor (201-300) | 251-350 | 91-120 | 181-280 | 169-208 | 10-17 | 381-800 | 801-1200 | 2.1-3.0 |
| Very poor (301-400) | 351-430 | 121-250 | 281-400 | 209-748* | 17-34 | 801-1600 | 1200-1800 | 3.1-3.5 |
| Severe (401-500) | 430 + | 250+ | 400+ | 748+* | 34+ | 1600+ | 1800+ | |