AQI Detail Page

AQI 450: Berkeley Earth comparison and what to do next

Berkeley Earth's rough population health-impact comparison: ≈ 13.65 cigarette-equivalents if PM2.5 at AQI 450 persisted for 24 hours. This is risk communication, not particle mass, inhaled dose, cigarettes smoked, personal risk, or diagnosis.

Open AQI 450 in the calculatorCompare with AQI 50

AQI category

Hazardous

PM2.5 estimate

300.3

µg/m³

Berkeley Earth comparison

13.65

Berkeley Earth cigarette-equivalents / 24h

30-day repeated comparison

409.5

Berkeley Earth cigarette-equivalents / 30 repeated days

What AQI 450 means

Avoid outdoor exposure unless it is essential, and use layered indoor protection.

People with breathing or heart problems may need professional medical advice if symptoms worsen.

Stay inside, seal the cleanest room you can, and filter continuously.
Avoid all outdoor exertion and nonessential travel.
If symptoms are severe, follow local health guidance and seek medical care.

Berkeley Earth risk-communication comparison

1 hour: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 0.57 cigarette-equivalents.

2 hours: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 1.14 cigarette-equivalents.

24 hours: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 13.65 cigarette-equivalents.

7 repeated days: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 95.5 cigarette-equivalents.

Scenario guidance at AQI 450

These are the kinds of day-to-day decisions users commonly make from this reading.

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Commute or errands

Avoid

2 hours at AQI 450: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 1.14 cigarette-equivalents.

Delay nonessential errands and consolidate unavoidable travel.

Outdoor exercise

Avoid

1 hour at AQI 450: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 0.57 cigarette-equivalents.

Skip outdoor exercise and wait for cleaner air.

Kids, school, or playground time

Avoid

3 hours at AQI 450: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 1.71 cigarette-equivalents.

Keep children inside and use the cleanest indoor space you can maintain.

Sleeping with windows open

Avoid

8 hours at AQI 450: Berkeley Earth comparison ≈ 4.55 cigarette-equivalents.

Seal the room as much as possible and run filtration continuously.

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Related AQI Berkeley Earth comparisons

Open a nearby or commonly searched AQI value to see how estimated PM2.5 concentration, Berkeley Earth's rough population health-impact comparison, and action guidance change.

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Why the estimate is credible

The site first converts a PM2.5 pollutant AQI into an estimated concentration, then applies Berkeley Earth's rough population health-impact comparison.

The result is for risk communication—not particle mass, inhaled dose, cigarettes actually smoked, personal risk, or diagnosis.

Read methodologyLearn AQI levels

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