One of the most critical responsibilities of the Air Quality Division is monitoring Oklahoma's Air Quality.
The purpose of this report is to make this information available to the public in a consistent form that helps Oklahomans become more aware of the air that they breathe.
Criteria Pollutants
This report covers the criteria pollutants associated with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Criteria air pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter 10 microns or less (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
Ozone
In Oklahoma ground-level ozone is the pollutant of greatest concern, especially during the summer months when there are high levels of solar radiation.
PM2.5
Particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is of particular concern because of the associated health effects.
DEQ Monitoring Sites
The monitoring unit has established and maintains 23 monitoring sites that routinely measure concentrations of the criteria air pollutants.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set ambient air quality standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. The primary standards provide public health protection and the secondary standards provide public welfare protection against decreased visibility and damage to crops, vegetation, and buildings.
The NAAQS define the maximum permissible concentrations for criteria pollutants. Click on the pollutant name for the relevant DEQ factsheet.
| Pollutant | Primary/ Secondary |
Averaging Time |
Level | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Monoxide | Primary | 8-hour | 9 ppm | Not to be exceeded more than once per year | |
| 1-hour | 35 ppm | ||||
| Lead | primary and secondary | Rolling 3 month average | 0.15 μg/m3 | Not to be exceeded | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | primary | 1-hour | 100 ppb | 98th percentile, averaged over 3 years | |
| primary and secondary | Annual | 53 ppb | Annual Mean | ||
| Ozone | primary and secondary | 8-hour | 0.075 ppm | Annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hr concentration, averaged over 3 years | |
| Particle Pollution | PM2.5 | primary | Annual | 12 μg/m3 | annual mean, averaged over 3 years |
| secondary | Annual | 15 μg/m3 | annual mean, averaged over 3 years | ||
| primary and secondary | 24-hour | 35 μg/m3 | 98th percentile, averaged over 3 years | ||
| PM10 | primary and secondary | 24-hour | 150 μg/m3 | Not to be exceeded more than once per year on average over 3 years | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | primary | 1-hour | 75 ppb | 99th percentile of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations, averaged over 3 years | |
| secondary | 3-hour | 0.5 ppm | Not to be exceeded more than once per year | ||