Invisible Air: PM2.5 in California Metros

Mapping fine-scale disparities in PM2.5 pollution across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego metro areas.

Background

Urban air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental justice concerns in California. PM2.5—particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns—can deeply penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular issues. This project compares regional concentrations of PM2.5 across three major metropolitan areas to explore how air quality relates to urban infrastructure, geography, and spatial inequality.

Data & Methodology

📊 PM2.5 Census Data

Used CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to map census tract-level PM2.5 exposure across California metros.

🛣️ Road Network Overlay

Clipped TIGER/Line road shapefiles to show infrastructure-adjacent pollution patterns.

📉 Region-Tailored Classification Scales

Used region-specific quantile binning to handle skewed PM2.5 distributions and ensure meaningful visual comparison across metros.

🐍 Python & GeoPandas

Built a lightweight pipeline using Python, GeoPandas, and Matplotlib for preprocessing and map generation.

🖼️ Publication-Ready Exports

Exported high-resolution PNGs and standalone legends for professional-quality visual outputs.

VIEW PROJECT & CODE