*BC (black carbon) has been used in the AQHI calculation when available; BC data not available at all sites and times. 
Health Risk AQHI At Risk Population General Population
Low Risk 1 – 3 Enjoy your usual outdoor activities. Ideal air quality for outdoor activities.
Moderate Risk 4 – 6 Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you are experiencing symptoms. No need to modify your usual outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms.
High Risk 7 – 10 Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy. Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms.
Very High Risk 10+ Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion. Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms.

Health Vulnerability Statement

All communities included in this report are designated as “underserved” by MDEnviroScreen. Notably, Turner Station, Cheverly, Cedar Heights, Curtis Bay, and areas near HCNR, and HU-B are further classified as “overburdened,” meaning they face a cumulative impact of three or more environmental or health stressors.

Critical sensitive population indicators (75th Percentile or higher):

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a reliable guide to daily health risks, made stronger by the addition of black carbon data. While the AQHI+ successfully captures common and immediate threats to human health, no single index is exhaustive for all toxic substances or localized pollutants. Due to compounding health disparities and socio-environmental stressors, the reported AQHI+ represents a conservative baseline; the actual risk to residents in the tracts mentioned above is likely higher than this index alone suggests.

MDEnviroScreen Map

Spatial distribution of overburdened communities via MDEnviroScreen.

AQHI Summary for All ARP Grant-funded Modulair Sensors (BC Adjusted)
Sensor Total_Hours Mean_AQHI Median_AQHI Max_AQHI Hours_High_Risk Min_AQHI
MOD_00536 - Cheverly 615 4 4 12 29 2
MOD_00537 - Turner Station North 733 5 4 16 87 2
MOD_00745 - Cedar Heights 733 4 4 11 59 1
MOD_00746 - HCNR 733 3 3 8 19 1
MOD_00747 - Turner Station South 733 4 4 11 41 1
MOD_00748 - Annapolis 733 3 3 10 27 1
MOD_00749 - HU - Beltsville 731 3 3 10 16 0
AQHI Summary at MDE Regulatory Monitors*
Monitor Total_Hours Mean_AQHI Median_AQHI Max_AQHI Hours_High_Risk Min_AQHI
HUB 677 3 2 11 23 1
Essex 0 NaN NA -Inf 0 Inf
Lake_Montebello 716 3 3 12 30 1
Piney_Run 709 3 2 19 36 1
HCNR 720 3 3 12 30 1
*HCNR statistics are a hybrid of regulatory monitor data (PM2.5 & NO2) and sensor data (O3). 

The highest AQHI value recorded was 16, reached by sensor(s) MOD_00537 - Turner Station North ( 4 h)

Highest AQHI Sensor(s) and Hours at Maximum
Sensor Max_AQHI Hours_at_Max
MOD_00537 - Turner Station North 16 4

Summary Statistics for MetOne Sensors (880nm)
Monitor Total Hours Mean 880 Median 880 Max 880 Min 880 Skew Kurtosis Hours ≥ 600 % Time ≥ 600 Hours ≥ 300 % Time ≥ 300
B19939 384 185.66 161.49 755.7062 44.34668 1.822795 4.370837 8 2.1 41 10.7
D11556 732 776.35 536.53 5222.0711 91.43944 2.694882 9.195788 337 46.0 563 76.9
D11559 732 515.51 338.38 4587.3372 78.45556 3.861469 18.524096 159 21.7 425 58.1
D14645 732 948.60 620.81 6923.4344 100.30833 2.680902 10.074222 380 51.9 610 83.3
D14648 732 907.52 555.01 8027.6322 87.01889 3.167307 13.266092 335 45.8 566 77.3

Concentration Statistics Matrix
Station Pollutant Mean Median MAD Max (Outlier Check) Skew Kurtosis Valid Obs
Annapolis co 814.77 751.14 80.69 2184.78 3.18 13.45 734
Annapolis no 2.10 1.90 0.42 5.83 2.00 5.98 734
Annapolis no2 15.93 13.12 10.60 39.36 0.48 -1.10 734
Annapolis o3 25.08 23.11 15.79 66.53 0.39 -0.63 734
Annapolis pm1 10.06 6.24 4.22 96.24 3.78 16.21 734
Annapolis pm10 15.76 12.84 6.56 102.24 3.44 13.96 734
Annapolis pm25 10.59 6.80 4.26 97.6 3.78 16.28 734
Cedar Heights co 841.78 788.13 100.56 2228.42 2.97 12.67 734
Cedar Heights no 2.24 1.94 0.46 16.68 6.80 65.30 734
Cedar Heights no2 18.96 16.69 14.51 49.26 0.32 -1.23 734
Cedar Heights o3 24.52 21.54 16.14 72.06 0.58 -0.37 734
Cedar Heights pm1 13.11 8.36 5.23 118.82 3.86 17.09 733
Cedar Heights pm10 18.31 13.42 6.13 135.55 3.84 17.27 733
Cedar Heights pm25 13.59 8.72 5.27 120.62 3.87 17.19 733
Cheverly co 554.26 489.31 81.97 1824.84 3.14 12.55 617
Cheverly no 2.08 1.90 0.33 4.35 1.40 2.33 617
Cheverly no2 14.32 11.47 9.11 61.04 0.80 0.51 617
Cheverly o3 40.05 39.13 14.28 77.58 0.25 -0.56 617
Cheverly pm1 16.53 10.72 5.90 129.13 3.48 13.44 624
Cheverly pm10 26.05 20.40 10.10 137.28 2.92 10.01 624
Cheverly pm25 17.14 11.37 5.92 130.99 3.48 13.50 624
HCNR co 909.04 853.95 116.18 2130.06 2.64 9.17 734
HCNR no 2.29 2.07 0.51 11.46 4.76 39.53 734
HCNR no2 13.04 10.05 6.46 46.36 1.24 0.65 734
HCNR o3 21.68 18.99 17.22 55.92 0.37 -1.05 734
HCNR pm1 11.18 7.21 4.60 114.93 4.15 18.67 734
HCNR pm10 18.94 15.50 6.51 123.39 3.79 16.45 734
HCNR pm25 11.90 8.06 4.89 117.01 4.17 18.86 734
HU - Beltsville co 792.81 739.08 70.44 1920.36 3.04 11.02 733
HU - Beltsville no 2.11 1.98 0.41 3.88 0.79 0.13 733
HU - Beltsville no2 13.82 10.77 6.95 43.51 1.04 0.04 733
HU - Beltsville o3 22.81 19.44 19.98 69.3 0.44 -0.82 733
HU - Beltsville pm1 10.48 6.72 4.72 89.34 3.72 14.90 732
HU - Beltsville pm10 64.14 16.17 8.48 3035.34 7.31 58.34 732
HU - Beltsville pm25 11.39 7.67 4.81 91.24 3.77 15.26 732
Turner Station North co 567.59 504.26 73.77 1848.75 3.14 12.08 734
Turner Station North no 2.09 1.94 0.45 3.88 0.90 0.38 734
Turner Station North no2 14.15 11.21 8.57 46.44 0.74 -0.56 734
Turner Station North o3 41.76 41.27 11.86 79.87 0.36 -0.16 734
Turner Station North pm1 18.91 10.64 7.42 203.63 4.16 19.04 734
Turner Station North pm10 27.94 19.71 9.92 215.54 3.94 17.25 734
Turner Station North pm25 19.80 11.53 7.59 206.59 4.16 19.07 734
Turner Station South co 693.16 625.09 73.06 2434.65 3.45 14.84 734
Turner Station South no 2.18 1.93 0.50 6.41 1.88 5.05 734
Turner Station South no2 14.67 11.58 9.88 45.46 0.66 -0.78 734
Turner Station South o3 32.31 30.39 13.36 71.3 0.47 -0.46 734
Turner Station South pm1 11.47 6.54 4.89 112.61 3.65 14.52 734
Turner Station South pm10 29.68 22.08 10.64 205.31 2.69 8.98 734
Turner Station South pm25 12.29 7.23 5.09 116.16 3.68 14.71 734