Mapping Inequity

Air pollution does not affect all populations equally, and a new website seeks to highlight disparities in the United States by mapping exposure to particulate airborne matter, known as PM2.5, by various demographics. The Air Pollution Components Mapper (https://disparitiesmapper.github.io/index.html) is the first site to show these differences specifically for PM2.5. It combines 2010 demographic census data such as racial/ethnic and socio­economic groups with high-resolution predictions of PM2.5 components, including elemental carbon, ammonium, nitrate, organic carbon, and sulfate, to create a map that illustrates the racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in PM2.5 exposure. “This research has far-reaching applications, making air quality data more accessible to the public and informing policy outcomes,” says Heresh Amini of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who helped develop the site. “By raising awareness and providing accessible tools for understanding air pollution disparities, this innovation has the potential to drive positive change for affected communities and contribute to a healthier, more equitable future.” The new site was discussed in a recent article in Environmental Modelling & Software. [Source: The Mount Sinai Hospital]

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