Air Quality index

At ParticleMeter.com you can buy or rent a professional CEM particle meter. Most users measure air quality based on the air quality index. You select the setting "Mass concentration" and analyze the degree of air pollution along the air quality index. For extra detail in polluted areas, you can use the Particle Count setting. With 6 fine particle channels you can count the number of particles by particle size.

When classifying the air quality index table, we distinguish between 6 particle sizes with our CEM particle meter:
  • » PM10: Particles smaller than 10 micrometers
  • » PM5: Particles smaller than 5 micrometers
  • » PM2.5: smaller than 2.5 micrometers
  • » PM 1: smaller than 1 micron (ultrafine particle)
  • » PM0.5: smaller than 0.5 micron (ultrafine particle)
  • » PM0.3: Particles smaller than 0.3 micron (ultrafine particle)
You can set the CEM particle meter for two types of measurements:
  • » Mass concentration: μg / m3 (PM2.5 and PM10)
  • » Number of particles: Total count in the room with a distinction of 6 particle sizes

Index for PM 2.5 Particle count measurment

  • » EU Directive: PM10: 40 μg / m3 and PM2.5: 25 μg / m3
  • » World Health Organization: PM10: 20 μg / m3 and PM2.5: 10 μg / m3

ParticleMeter.com recommends using the following particle Index table: Air Pollution Concentrations in micrograms per cubic meter of air.

Air quality PM2.5  PM10 
Very good <10 µg / m³ <20 µg / m³
Good 10 - 15 µg / m³  20 - 30 µg / m³
Moderate 15 - 30 µg / m³  30 - 50 µg / m³
Weak 30 - 70 µg / m³  50 - 150 µg / m³
Very weak > 70 µg / m³ > 150 µg / m³

Mass concentration - EPA Air Quality Index (AQI)

Globally, especially in America, another air quality index is being used with less stringent Indexs.

Air quality PM2,5 PM10
Good < 15 µg/m³ < 54 µg/m³
Moderate 15 - 40 µg/m³ 55 – 154 µg/m³
Weak 40 - 65 µg/m³ 155 - 254 µg/m³
Unhealthy 65 - 150 µg/m³ 255 – 354 µg/m³
Extremely unhealthy   > 150 µg/m³ > 355 µg/m³
» Source: EPA Air Quality Index

Particle count

For more air quality details, you can use the Particle Count setting. With 6 different particle channels you can count the number of dust particles according to size. This is also important for your choice of particle filter. If you have a lot of air pollution of the finest kind, you also need an air filter with a higher one to protect your health.