Delhi Pollution and Life Expectancy: How to Read AQLI Estimates

The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) translates sustained outdoor particle-pollution differences into estimates of average life-expectancy effects. A city-level estimate is not a countdown for an individual resident or a promise that buying equipment recovers a stated number of years.

Check the data behind the headline

AQLI combines pollution estimates with an exposure–response relationship derived from research. Its methodology explains the assumptions. Always record the report edition, pollution-data year, location and comparison benchmark when citing a number.

Publication year and measurement year differ: for example, the 2025 annual update describes 2023 pollution data. An earlier Delhi headline should not be labelled the current estimate without checking the relevant release.

What the estimate does not establish

AQLI’s outdoor-pollution scenario is not a trial of a home purifier. It cannot show how many years a particular household gains by changing indoor equipment, nor does it isolate indoor CO₂ as the cause of a life-expectancy estimate based on PM2.5.

Personal exposure also varies with time spent in different settings. Do not assign everyone the same number of hours at home, or turn a city average into a precise retained particle dose.

Use household measurements for a household decision

Record indoor PM2.5 under representative conditions, with outdoor conditions, activities and equipment settings noted. Compare the same rooms and averaging periods. A useful baseline helps assess particle control; it is not a medical prognosis.

The PM2.5 measurement guide explains concentration and guideline comparisons. The fresh-air comparison distinguishes room filtration from filtered outdoor-air supply.

Keep product promises specific

aqi0 offers a standalone whole-home air purifier with installation and maintenance requirements. Its technical note sets out the actual performance commitment and conditions. No life-expectancy gain is promised from an installation.