Evaluation of Air Quality and How it is Affected by Temperature and Relative Humidity in Columbus Ohio

Air quality is very important to monitor for the health of citizens. This is especially true for urbanized areas like Columbus Ohio, where there is an increased impact on air quality due to the large amount of people and the resources used needed to support daily life, such as electricity and transportation. Poor air quality can have many adverse effects. From short term effects like breathing difficulties and eye irritation, to longer term effects like damage to the immunity, respiratory systems, and cancer. People at a higher risk of health problems due to air quality include individuals with preexisting health conditions, infants and young children, senior citizens, and communities that are at higher risk of health emergencies. Pollutants such as Ozone (O₃) and tiny air particles (PM_2.5) are impacted by different atmospheric variables such as temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and precipitation. Days of extreme ozone and PM_2.5 pollutants are correlated to days of high temp and low relative humidity. This study will evaluate the air quality of Columbus Ohio, from PurpleAir air quality sensors, and compare it with temperature and relative humidity data. This analysis will look at the spatial and temporal patterns across the city to identify patterns and hotspots. Air quality will then be compared to the CDC social vulnerability index to increase understanding of air quality and social vulnerability across the city. This is important as it will identify the Columbus air quality hotspots so we can monitor and provide resources to those most vulnerable.