Air Quality Data for Delaware - My Healthy Community

Overview

Air quality includes both the location of factories handling chemicals known to cause asthma, and monitoring results for six "criteria" pollutants in outdoor air.

My Healthy Community presents air quality data at the state level rather than smaller geographies. These data are based on monitoring stations located throughout Delaware.

Not all monitoring stations monitor all pollutants. For example, NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide) is only monitored at the MLK station in Wilmington. To see this month's data from the monitoring station near you, visit Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Network.

Provides air quality data from monitoring stations throughout the state. Data available include ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, temperature, wind direction, humidity and wind speed.

A city street filled with traffic next to tall buildings

Photo credit:Andrew Wolff

Key Data & Reports

Air Quality in Delaware

Data are current as of 10/1/2018

Summary Metrics

Ozone

Ozone causes many respiratory problems, such as difficulty breathing and lung damage, as well as aggravating existing lung diseases. To reduce risks, it is recommended to stay indoors on high pollution days.

Delaware

90th Percentile 8-hour Ozone (ppb)

2012 - 2018 Average

43.4

ppb

The 90th Percentile 8-hour Ozone (ppb) in Delaware is 32 ppb.

Delaware

Average 8-hour Ozone (ppb)

2012 - 2018 Average

29.9

ppb

The Average 8-hour Ozone (ppb) in Delaware is 23 ppb.

Delaware

Median 8-hour Ozone (ppb)

2012 - 2018 Average

30.2

ppb

The Median 8-hour Ozone (ppb) in Delaware is 21 ppb.

Carbon Monoxide

There is a high risk of death when exposed to high concentrations of CO and even low concentrations can have profound health impacts on physiologic systems, specifically the cardiovascular and nervous system. To reduce chances of exposure safety, precautions should be implemented when utilizing fuel-burning appliances.

Nitrogen Dioxide

NO2 is an irritant to the respiratory system that can cause inflammation to the airways in healthy people and worsen symptoms for people with lung diseases. Carpooling, biking and walking can reduce NO2 emissions and it is encouraged to limit time outdoors on high pollution days.

Delaware

Average CO (ppm)

2012 - 2014 Average

0.3

ppm

The Average CO (ppm) in Delaware is 0 ppm.

Delaware

Average NO2 (ppb)

2012 - 2018 Average

9.1

ppb

The Average NO2 (ppb) in Delaware is 8 ppb.

Particulate Matter

PM2.5 is associated with an array of health impacts, ranging from respiratory diseases, such asthma and bronchitis to cardiovascular diseases, such as cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. To decrease exposure, it is recommended to stay indoors on high pollution days and decrease outdoor air permeation to the indoors.

Sulfur Dioxide

Inhalation of Sulfur Dioxide presents major health risks to the respiratory system and can even be fatal. It can exacerbate conditions in those with existing respiratory ailments and can lead to the development of new ones, therefore limiting time spent outdoors on high pollution days is encouraged.

Delaware

Average PM2.5 (μg/m^3)

2012 - 2018 Average

8.2

micrograms per cubic meter of air

The Average PM2.5 (μg/m^3) in Delaware is 7 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

Delaware

Average SO2 (ppb)

2012 - 2018 Average

0.7

ppb

The Average SO2 (ppb) in Delaware is 0 ppb.

Months in Exceedance

In this section, we show the percentage of months with values in exceedance over the standard for the most recent year and looking back through 2012.

Air Quality Indicator	Delaware	Trendline	Standard
Average 8-hour Ozone (ppb) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	70 ppb
Median 8-hour Ozone (ppb) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	70 ppb
90th Percentile 8-hour Ozone (ppb) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	70 ppb
Average CO (ppm) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2014)	Chart Line chart with 3 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2014-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	35 ppm
Average NO2 (ppb) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	70 ppb
Average PM2.5 (μg/m^3) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 25. End of interactive chart.	12 micrograms per cubic meter of air
Average SO2 (ppb) percent of months with values in exceedance	0.0% (2018)	Chart Line chart with 7 data points. The chart has 1 X axis displaying Time. Data ranges from 2012-01-01 to 2018-01-01. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 0 to 4. End of interactive chart.	75 ppb

Investigate Over Time

Air Quality in Delaware

Data are current as of 10/1/2018

Select Indicator

Average 8-hour Ozone (ppb) in Delaware

Number of ppb

Good (0 - 54)

Moderate (54 - 71)

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (71 - 86)

Unhealthy (86 - 106)

Very Unhealthy (106 - 200)

Hazardous (>200)

About the Data

Level of concern and description:

Good: Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

Moderate: Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Unhealthy for sensitive groups: Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.

Unhealthy: Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.

Very unhealthy: Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.

Hazardous: Health warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected.

Data Sources

Air Quality Monitoring Network

Citation: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Air Quality. 2018. Air Quality Monitoring Network. Downloaded from https://data.delaware.gov/Energy-and-Environment/Air-Quality-Monitoring-Network/b6hy-ss9q/

View or download this dataset

Additional Information

Air Quality in Delaware

Resources

Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Network

Real-time data from air qualiity monitoring stations

EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Table

DNREC's Division of Air Quality

State air quality resources

Data Sources

Air Quality Monitoring Network

View or download this dataset

Privacy

In releasing this information, Delaware aims to provide information that can be helpful to local communities as they work to improve public health. However, the protection of the confidentiality of our citizens is of paramount importance. To that end, counts of less than 11 are not presented. An outside expert has reviewed the platform to ensure it complies with the HIPAA privacy rule (45 CFR 164.§514(b)).