GLOBAL INDEX OF AIR QUALITY

According to this technique, forty sorts of lichens are grouped together according to their ecophysiological characteristics in a scale of six levels of ecological value, the most resistant possessing a weak interest (level 1). The forty species of lichens on the lichenic scale are searched for during the observations.

Extract of a map of IGQA® modeling: industrial parks in urban zone. The sensitive sectors appear in red on all the presented maps.

A calculation taking into account the variety in every level determines the Global Index of Air Quality (IGQA®), according to 5 going classes of strikingly modified in excellent. The third class is a background of air quality with human soft activities except town-centers, industry and industrial agriculture.

This technique returns in account the reminder of the acid pollutions, the nitrogen oxides and nitrogenous pollutions including the ammoniac. Compound toxins for lichens (pesticides) provoke a decrease of the IGQA®.

This technique is used by the Aair Lichens Company and constitutes the base of the flora studies. Some of the most important French towns, two whole regions were mapped.

Some reference plots were selected in one of these towns in educational purposes and a route of the air using lichens was set up. Since its creation, more than 8000 ground statements were established.Industries appeal it in a regular way within the framework of the management of Environmental impacts.

This tool participates at the insertion of the industry in the durable development politics inside the heart of the local activities and human populations.

This technique is very interesting in many ways:
- It points out the various origins of air degradations,
- It places the sources of atmospheric emissions in the context which surrounds them.
- It's possible to know what is due to an activity and what is not.

The possible selection of test observations which can be used for a biomonitoring of deposits.