AQI Detail Page
AQI 600: cigarette equivalent, interpretation, and what to do next
At AQI 600, a full day of exposure is roughly equivalent to smoking 17.07 cigarettes.
AQI scale limitation
AQI 600 is beyond the standard display range
The category remains Hazardous. This result assumes PM2.5 and extrapolates the linear slope used from AQI 301–500; it does not represent ozone or other pollutants.
AQI category
Hazardous
PM2.5 estimate
375.6
µg/m³
Daily equivalent
17.07
cigarettes / 24h
If repeated daily
512.1
cigarettes / 30 days
What AQI 600 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.
Exposure framing
1 hour: about 0.71 cigarettes.
2 hours: about 1.42 cigarettes.
24 hours: about 17.07 cigarettes.
7 repeated days: about 119.5 cigarettes.
Scenario guidance at AQI 600
These are the kinds of day-to-day decisions users commonly make from this reading.
Commute or errands
Avoid2 hours equals 1.42 cigarettes at AQI 600.
Delay nonessential errands and consolidate unavoidable travel.
Outdoor exercise
Avoid1 hour equals 0.71 cigarettes at AQI 600.
Skip outdoor exercise and wait for cleaner air.
Kids, school, or playground time
Avoid3 hours equals 2.13 cigarettes at AQI 600.
Keep children inside and use the cleanest indoor space you can maintain.
Sleeping with windows open
Avoid8 hours equals 5.69 cigarettes at AQI 600.
Seal the room as much as possible and run filtration continuously.
Explore nearby readings
Related AQI cigarette equivalents
Open a nearby or commonly searched AQI value to see how particle dose, cigarette-equivalent exposure, and action guidance change.
Why the estimate is credible
The site first converts AQI into an estimated PM2.5 concentration and then applies Berkeley Earth’s cigarette-equivalence framing.
The estimate is most useful for comparing air-quality dose across times, situations, and repeated days. It should not be treated as a literal smoking-equivalence medical claim.
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