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Final Program


Final Program

ACE 2025

H&EE

Health Effects and Exposure (Part 1)

Application of USEPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI) Methods to the Kyrgyz Republic and Its Implications

Wednesday, June 11, 2025
10:30am – 10:50am ET
Location: 306A
Abstract Description: As part of the US State Department’s Fulbright Program, a method was devised to adjust the US EPA’s AQI methodology to values consistent with the hygienic air quality standards of the Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia. This allowed for the computation of AQI values for the Kyrgyz Republic that will be beneficial for public health education and outreach in areas negatively impacted by poor air quality. The methodology utilized scaling factors to adjust the break-points in the USEPA values to those that are representative of the Kyrgyz Republic’s hygienic standards. The scaling factors were a proportion computed as the Kyrgyz Standard divided by the USEPA standard and allowed for the breakpoints to be adjusted in a linear fashion. These new break points were then applied to air quality data in the City of Bishkek, the Capital of Kyrgyzstan, and an assessment of air quality impacts and AQI variation was assessed. AQI values showed degradation significantly related to the heating season during the cold winters in Kyrgyzstan, especially when unconventional fuels are used to heat homes, and when meteorological conditions related to the significant mountain ranges around the city facilitated inversions. This modified methodology will serve as a valuable public health education and outreach tool to help the city address air quality challenges.