Pollutant Standards Index PSI

Technical Report · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5639611

Kelly, G

The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) is based on the daily measured concentrations of five major pollutants: CO, O/sub 3/, NO/sub 2/, SO/sub 2/, and totally suspended particles (TSP). For each pollutant, a subindex is calculated from a segmented linear function that transforms ambient concentrations onto a scale extending from 0 through 500. A subindex index is also calculated for a sixth variable - the product of TSP and SO/sub 2/. Then PSI is reported as the maximum of the six subindices: psi = max)I/sub 1/,...,I/sub 6/. The pollutant responsible for the maximum subindex is called the critical pollutant. The purpose of the index is to provide useful information to the public on daily air-quality levels. Different pollutants affect health at different concentrations. The index relates similar degrees of health effects to a uniform numerical scale that is based on actual pollutant concentrations. Beginning January 1, 1980, the index will be reported along with the weather on TV, radio, newspapers, etc. The information will allow people to modify their activities when air pollution levels are high. (JGB)

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5639611
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/22874-58
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOL MONITORING
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORS
AIR QUALITY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CALIFORNIA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
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NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
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OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
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SOLIDS
SOLS
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SUSPENSIONS
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WESTERN REGION