Relationship between Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concentration and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) throughout Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

A particular matter (PM2.5) is a small particle in the air that reduces visibility and causes air to fade when raised. It is one of the parameters that contribute to air pollution. There are a few causes of air pollution. It can appear in solid and liquid particles and certain gases that are suspended in the air. Consequently, pollution can significantly and negatively impact human health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between concentrations of PM2.5 and aerosol optical depth (AOD) throughout Peninsular Malaysia using the GIS approach. The tabular data of PM2.5 was acquired from the Department of Environment and overlaid with the MODIS satellite image. A correlation test was performed using QGIS software using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) technique. Then, by using the Air Pollution Index data and the value of Aerosol Optical Depth, this study can identify the values that influence the pollutants by studying the relationship between PM2.5 and AOD using MODIS satellite images. The linear regression of PM2.5 concentration with the MODIS AOD has shown significant differences. This study aligns with the eleven Sustainable Development Goals which are focused on sustainable cities and communities, to reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities per capita, especially the air quality such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in cities.