studying the tsp and pm10 measurements and description of the air quality according to the air quality index (aqi) in the central parts of tehran city in 2005-2006

background: contemporary development of growing urban communities and increasing the economical and industrial activities in the current century without paying attention to assess the effect of these activities on human health, as the axis of the development, is caused urban air pollution and risks from different pollutant emissions. tehran air pollution has received considerable media coverage in the recent years. since particulate matter (tsp and pm 10 ) is one of the most important pollutants in this city, a study was conducted to assess tsp and pm 10 concentrations and to make a qualitative assessment of air using the air quality index (aqi), with tsp and pm 10 sampling both on a daily and monthly basis. methods: tehran university was considered as the study area from december 2005 to may 2006. in order to determine the amount of tsp and pm 10 , 50 samples were taken as follows: for tsp with high volume sampler and 50 samples and for pm10 with laser dust monitor model 107 apparatus.     findings: according to results of this study: esfand (february) with the average 190.63 µg/m3 was the most polluted month in terms of tsp and farvardin (march) with the average 118.5 µg/m3 was the cleanest month. day (december) with the average 66.5 µg/m3 was the most polluted month in terms of pm 10 and farvardin (march) with the average 42.1 µg/m3 was the cleanest month. conclusion: according to the air quality index (aqi), in 96% of the samples tsp was below 100 (aqi < 100) and in the remaining 4%, aqi was above 100 (aqi > 100). in 98% of the samples the air quality index (aqi) for pm 10 was below 100 (aqi < 100) and in the remaining 2%, aqi was above 100 (aqi > 100).