Air Pollution A case study of Particulate Matter of Delhi

Air pollution
Air consist of 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and rest 1% other mixture of gases.
Oxygen is most necessary for the moving the life cycle on the earth.

Air pollution is defined as the presence in the atmosphere of substances or

energy in such quantities and of such duration liable to cause harm to human,
plant and animal life or damage to human made-materials and structures, or
changes in the weather and climate, or interference with the comfortable
enjoyment of life or property or other human activities
Air Pollutant
Air pollutant means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise
present in the atmosphere in such concentration as may be tend to be
injurious to human being or other living creatures or plants or property or
environment.There are basically two types of air pollutants:

Primary air pollutants Primary air pollutants are those directly from
identifiable sources.The some of the primary air pollutants are fine particles
less than 100 in diameter,Course particle greater than 100 in diameter,
Sulphur compounds, Oxides of Nitrogen,Carbon monoxide

Secondary air pollutants Secondary air pollutants are those which

produced in the air by the interaction among two or more primary pollutants
.Example of secondary air pollutants are Ozone, Formaldehyde etc.

Particulate Matter (PM)

It refers to tiny particles from a variety of sources, including diesel emissions,
power plants, industrial facilities, domestic cooking and heating, agricultural
burning, land clearing, forest fires and windblown dust. Some particles are
formed in the air as a result of slow atmospheric reactions among gases
emitted at distant locations and transported by atmospheric processes.

PM10:inhalable particles with diameters that are generally 10

micrometers and smaller
 PM2.5 : fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5
micrometers and smaller.

Oveview of Delhi

Delhi, officially National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT)), is the largest

metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to
Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population
with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census.
There are nearly 22.2 million residents in the greater National Capital
Region urban area (which also includes the cities Noida, Greater Noida,
Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad along with other smaller nearby
towns).
Although technically a federally administered union territory, the political
administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a
state of India with its own legislature, high court and an executive
council of ministers headed by a Chief Minister.
New Delhi, jointly administered by both the federal Government of India
and the local Government of Delhi, is also the capital of the NCT of Delhi.
 Study area

Particulate Matter
 Sources and effect of Particulate matter:

Pollutant Possible Sources Effects

Natural Anthropogeni Human Property

c
1.Wind blown dust 1.Road traffic 1.Cardio- Visibility
Respirable Suspended such as road emissions pulmonary reduction
Particulate Matter dust, fly ash, particularly problems
(PM10, size agricultural from diesel 2. asthma,
10micron. The major processes etc. vehicles bronchitis,
constituents of 2.Physical 2. Industrial 3.Pneumonia
RSPM are organic and processes of combustion in older
elemental crushing, plants people
carbon, metals/elements grinding and some public
like abrasion of power
silicon, magnesium, iron, surfaces. generation
ions like 3.Photochemically 3.Commercial
sulphates, nitrates, produced and residential
ammonium particles, such combustion
etc. PM10 can settle in the as those found Non-
bronchi and lungs and in urban haze. combustion
cause 4.Pollen grains, processes
health problems mould spores, (e.g.
and plant and quarrying)
insect parts 4.Agricultural
5.Noncombustible activities
materials
released when
burning fossil
fuels.
1.Vehicular 1.oxidative 1.Aesthetic
Particulate Matter 2.5 1.Ultrafine emission stress damage
(PM2.5, particles are 2.Industrial 2. respiratory 2.Visibility
size 2.5micron, fine formed by combustion symptoms reduction
fraction size upto 2.5 m, nucleation, plants such as
Composed mainly of which is the some public irritation of
carbonaceous materials initial stage in power the
(organic which gas generation airways,
and elemental), inorganic becomes a 3. Commercial coughing, or
compounds (sulfate, particle. These and residential difficulty
nitrate, and particles can combustion breathing
ammonium), and trace grow up to a size 3. Decreased
metal of 1m either lung function
compounds (iron, through 4. Severe
aluminium, condensation, Asthma
nickel, copper, zinc, and when additional 5. Chronic
lead). gas bronchitis
pose the greatest condensates or 5. Premature
problems. coagulation death
REF: NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY
STATUS & TRENDS 2012(CPCB Report)
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2009) [NAAQS Notification
dated 18th November, 2009]

Time Industrial, Ecologically

Weighted Residential, Sensitive Methods of Measurement
Average Rural and Area (notified
S. No. other Areas by Central
Pollutants Government)

1 Sulphur Dioxide Annual* 50 20 1. Improved West and Gaeke

(SO2), g/m3 24 80 80 2. Ultraviolet Fluorescence
Hours**
2 Nitrogen Dioxide Annual* 40 30 1. Modified Jacob & Hochheiser
(NO2 ), g/m3 24 80 80 (Na-Arsenite)
Hours** 2. Chemiluminescence
3 Particulate Annual* 60 60 1. Gravimetric
Matter 24 100 100 2. TEOM
(Size <10m) or Hours** 3. Beta attenuation
PM10 g/m3
4 Particulate Annual* 40 40 1. Gravimetric
Matter 24 Hours 60 60 2. TEOM
(Size <2.5 m) ** 3. Beta attenuation
or PM2.5 g/m3
5 Ozone (O3), g/m3 8 hours** 100 100 1. UV photometric
1 hours ** 180 180 2. Chemiluminescence
3. Chemical Method
6 Lead (Pb), g/m3 Annual * 0.50 0.50 1. AAS/ICP Method after sampling
24 Hour** 1.0 1.0 using EPM 2000 or equivalent filter
paper
2. ED-XRF using Teflon filter
7 Carbon Monoxide 8 Hours ** 02 02 Non dispersive Infra Red (NDIR)
(CO), mg/m3 1 Hour** 04 04 Spectroscopy
8 Ammonia (NH3), Annual* 100 100 1. Chemiluminescence
g/m3 24 Hour** 400 400 2. Indophernol blue method
9 Benzene (C6H6) , Annual * 05 05 1. Gas chromatography based
g/m3 continuous analyzer
2. Adsorption and Desorption
followed by GC analysis
10 Arsenic (As), Annual* 06 06 AAS/ICP method after sampling on
ng/m3 EPM 2000 or equivalent filter paper
11 Nickel (Ni), ng/m3 Annual* 20 20 AAS/ICP method after sampling on
EPM 2000 or equivalent filter paper

* Annual Arithmetic mean of minimum 104 measurements in a year at a particular site taken twice a
week 24 hourly at uniform interval.
** 24 hourly 08 hourly or 01 hourly monitored values, as applicable shall be complied with 98% of the
time in a year. 2% of the time, they may exceed the limits but not on two consecutive days of
monitoring.
National Air Quality Index (AQI)
AQI is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are
easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a
single number (index value), nomenclature and colour. There are six AQI categories,
namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. The
proposed AQI will consider eight pollutants (PM 10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3 and Pb)
for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality
Standards are prescribed.

Health Statements for AQI Categories

AQI Associated Health Impacts

Good Minimal Impact

(050)

Satisfactory May cause minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people

(51100)

May cause breathing discomfort to the people with lung disease

Moderate such as asthma and discomfort to people with heart disease,
(101200) children and older adults

May cause breathing discomfort to people on prolonged

Poor
exposure and discomfort to people with heart disease with short
(201300)
exposure

Very Poor May cause respiratory illness to the people on prolonged

(301400) exposure. Effect may be more pronounced in people with lung
and heart diseases
 May cause respiratory effects even on healthy people and
Severe serious health impacts on people with lung/heart diseases. The
(401-500) health impacts may be experienced even during light physical
activity

How Can I Reduce My Exposure to PM?

You can use air quality alerts to protect yourself and others when PM reaches
harmful levels

AirNow: Every day the Air Quality Index (AQI) tells you how clean or polluted
your outdoor air is, along with associated health effects that may be of
concern. The AQI translates air quality data into numbers and colors that help
people understand when to take action to protect their health.

Go to About AirNow to learn how you can get AQI notifications.

Also learn how the Air Quality Flag Program can help air agencies, schools,
and other community organizations to notify their citizens of harmful
conditions and adjust outdoor physical activities as needed.
 Materials and Methods
High volume sampler
Respirable dust sampler
High Volume Sampler
High Volume Samplers are the basic instruments, used to monitor Ambient Air
Quality. They are in widespread use all over the world to measure air pollution
in industrial areas, urban areas, on the shop floor, near monuments and other
sensitive areas. In these samplers, air borne suspended particulate (SPM)
are measured by passing air at high flow rate through a high efficiency filter
paper which retains the particles and provisions have been made for
simultaneous sampling of gaseous pollutants also.

Instrument/ Equipment:
Analytical balance:
Sampler : High Volume Sampler with size selective inlet for PM10 and
automatic volumetric flow control.

Sampling :
Field Sampling -
Tilt back the inlet and secure it according to manufacturer's instructions.
Loosen the faceplate wing nuts and remove the faceplate.
Remove the filter from its jacket and centre it on the support screen with
the rough side of the filter facing upwards.
Replace the faceplate and tighten the wing nuts to secure the rubber
gasket against the filter edge.
Gently lower the inlet. For automatically flow-controlled units, record the
designated flow rate on the data sheet. Record the reading of the
elapsed time meter.
The specified length of sampling is commonly 8 hours or 24 hours.
During this period, several reading (hourly) of flow rate should be taken.
After the required time of sampling, record the flow meter reading, take
out the filter media from the sampler, and put in a container or envelope.

Analysis:
Filter inspection:
Inspect the filter for pin holes using a light table.
Loose particles should be removed with a soft brush. Apply the filter
identification number or a code to the filter if it is not a numbered.
Condition the filter in conditioning room maintained within 20-30 C and
40-50% relative humidity or in an airtight desiccator for 24 hours.
Take initial weight of the filter paper (Wi) before sampling. Condition the
filter after sampling in conditioning room maintained within 20-30 C and
40-50% relative humidity or in an airtight desiccator for 24 hours. Take
final weight of the filter paper (Wf)

Calculation

C PM10 g/m3 = (Wf Wi) x 106 / V

where, C PM10 = Concentration of Nitrogen dioxide, g/m3

Wf = Initial weight of filter in g

Wi = Initial weight of filter in g
106 = Conversion of g to g
V = Volume of air sampled, m3
Respirable Dust Sampler
Specifications :
Dust Sampler is designed and developed for monitoring of PM10 particulate in air.The
particulate matter 10 micron and below in size are directly sucked by a blower through
corrosion free aluminum modular pipe from ambient air. Further, these are passed through a
cyclone which divides the particulate matters in two fraction which are below 10 micron and
another above 10 microns.
Deign: Cyclonic
Blower: free flow (without resistance)
Gaseous sampling attachment (for monitoring SO2, NO2, etc.): Glass
impinger tubes: 4 nos. 35ml capacity Rota meter: 0-3 lpm, acrylic body.
Filter holder assembly
Flow rate; 0.9-1.4 m3/min
Particle Size: Particles of 10 microns & below collected on Filter Paper holder.
SPM bigger than 10 microns collected in a separate sampling bottle under the
cyclone
Filter Paper: Glass fibre filter paper (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
Flow measurement: U tube manometer
Dimension: 420 x 340 x 790 mm
Automatic Sampling: 24 hours programmable timer to automatically shut off
the system after pre-Control set time interval
Stabilizer: Voltage stabilizer provided to compensate voltage fluctuation
 Results and Discussion

Air pollution in Delhis National Capital Region (NCR) is comprised of a complex

mix of pollution from human activities (vehicle emissions, industry,
construction and residential fuel burning) as well as natural sources like dust
and sea salt. The heavy concentration of particulate matter is greatly affected
by meteorological conditions in the winter, cool air causes inversions that
stagnant the air and trap pollution close to the ground. Air flow patterns from
Afghanistan and Pakistan pick up emissions as they move over the densely
urbanized regions of Punjab and Haryana where farmers burn the straw in their
fields and pull this pollution into Delhi. Pre-monsoon dust storms also
contribute to air pollution in the region.

PM10 levels (Annual average) in Ambient Air Quality Stations under NAMP
during 2014 in Delhi
Lets take a look at all the metropolitian cities of India and try to compare it
with the quantity of Particulate Matter in Delhi.
1. Mumbai
The average Particulate Matter (PM10) value in Mumbai at all the three stations
is 95.667 in year 2014..

2. Kolkata

The average concentration of PM10 at 8 locations in Kolkata is 124.25

microgram/m^3

4. Chennai
The average Particulate Matter (PM10) value in Chennai at all the ten stations
is 56.5 in year 2014..

Lets try to contemplate the points we can get from the above drawn four
graphs. We can make a graph from the average quantity of PM10 in all the
metropolitian cities.
 PM10 Conc
250

200

150 PM10 Conc

100

50

0
Delhii Mumbai Kolkata Chennai

From the above graph, we can see that :

Delhi, the national capital of India has the highest concentration of PM10
among all the metropolitian cities of India.
Only Chennai has the concentration of PM10 below the national standard
(60 g/m3 )

There is an increasing trend in both the population and the vehicular density In
Delhi. With an increase in vehicles, the qualtiy of air is degrading at a much
faster rate now.
 Column D
18000000

16000000

14000000

12000000

10000000

8000000

6000000

4000000

2000000

0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Source: Statistical Abstract of Delhi 2014

Fig. Vehicle Growth in Delhi

9000000
8000000
7000000
6000000
5000000
4000000
3000000
2000000
1000000
0

Source: Statistical Abstract of Delhi 2014

Vehicle growth in the year 2013-2014 in Delhi has increased

about83.96 % since 2004-2005.

From the above graphs, it is observed that Delhi, despite being a country
capital , has the worst air condition. The average concentration of PM10 is
approximately the four times the national standard. Some of the reasons that
may attribute to this high concentration of particulate matter in Delhi are:

The Price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in 2002-03 was cheaper

than diesel by about 46.71%. But in December 2013, the price
differential plummeted to 7.35%. Only after the most recent intervention
to reduce CNG prices by Rs 15 per kg in February 2014 has helped to
increase the differential again to about 35%. High CNG costs hurt public
transport and undermine the clean fuel program.

The gap between diesel fuel and petrol prices, which are skewed towards
making diesel relatively cheaper, is leading to dieselization of cars. The
WHO has formally reclassified diesel emissions as class I carcinogen for
its strong link with lung cancer putting it in the same class as tobacco
smoking.

Emissions standards: only 38 cities and towns have the high-level

Bharat IV standards in place for fuel and vehicles emissions. The rest of
India has the much more polluting Bharat Stage III standards in place.
Equalivent to Euro IV standards, Bharat IV particulate standards are 50%
cleaner than Bharat Stage III standards for cars and 81% cleaner for
trucks and diesel buses. Though Delhi follows Bharat IV standards,
significant cross-through traffic from other locals means that the city is
greatly affected by high polluting vehicles.

Non-polluting modes of public transportation are jeopardized. Currently it

is too dangerous to walk and cycle safely in the city. Road accident
data for 2012 shows every hour a person is injured or killed in a road
accident in Delhi.

Car growth is explosive due to hidden subsidies for example the low
cost of parking in Delhi when compared to parking in other international
cities.

The quality of air is so degraded that the doctors have to colour code the
regions for the benefit of asthma patients.
 Red Zone:The areas near Delhis borders with Haryana and U.P. as well
as the industrial clusters typically fall under the Red Zone like Mundka,
Sahupura, Rajokri, Gokalpuri, Okhla, Badarpur, Narela, Chattarpur,
Gokulpuri, etc.

Yellow Zone:Yellow zones are areas which see heavy vehicular traffic
like Koshambi, Dhaula Kuan, Lakshmi Nagar, Ashram Chowk, South
Extension, Ring Road, Mathura Road and can expose those on the
margins to pulmonary diseases.

Green Zone:Green zones are typically the New Delhi and Lutyens Delhi
areas and full of trees like Connaught Place, Akbar Road, Babar Road and
entire area of Central Delhi. Patients in this zone relatively have good
lung function; however pollens in the air may trigger asthma attack, so
they need to be extra careful.

As reported in Indian Express,

According to a recent WHO report, a few Indian cities, including Delhi, Patna
and Gwalior were identified as among
the severely polluted cities in the world. Experts say global warming and
pollution are among the major factors responsible for causing allergic
ailments. Cases of asthma and allergy have also doubled at Apollo Hospital in
south Delhi, with doctors saying cases of coughing, sneezing, and eye and skin
allergy on the rise in the wake of thick smog that has engulfed the city for past
few days.
How to survive Delhi's Air Pollution?
Use a pollution mask every time you step out: To sit at home and
relax is definitely not an option for many, but wearing pollution masks
can minimise the risk of getting affected to a great extent. A mask
should be good enough to filter all the dust particles from the air you
breathe in. While normal masks are effective enough, N95 and N99
pollution masks are recommended as the most effective ones. These
pollution masks can be availed from the online shopping websites and
even in your nearby chemist shops.

Keep away from construction sites: Special precautions must be

taken to control the dust produced at large construction sites.

Wash the streets around your house: Roads must be washed instead
of swept, to avoid throwing up more dust in the air. Washing the streets
will settle the dust instead of blowing it into your nostrils.

Grow and keep more plants:School textbooks have taught us how

planting more trees help purify the air we breathe. Plants release
oxygen, something which is absolutely essential for life to survive.

Avoid exercising outdoors: When the air is bad, walk indoors in a

shopping mall or gym or use an exercise machine. Limit the amount of
time your child spends playing outdoors if the air quality is unhealthy.

Use Public Transports:Walk, bike or carpool. Combine trips. Use buses,

subways, light rail systems, commuter trains or other alternatives to
driving your car.

Don't burn: Don't burn wood or trash.Burning firewood and trash are
among the major sources of particle pollution (soot) in many parts of the
country.
 Summary
Based on the above observations, it can be said that the air of Delhi is
polluted especially in terms of particulates. According to a study,
vehicular pollution alone contributes about 72% of the total air pollution
load in Delhi as estimated using emission factor and activity-based
approach recommended by IPCC [5].

However, present study finds that it is not only the vehicular pollution,
rather, domestic pollution, industrial emission, road dust, and garbage
burning alsohave a large share in Delhis total pollution
load.Furthermore, construction of infrastructure including large
residential complexes potentially contributes to the Delhis air pollution
load.

Particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) emanates especially from the

vehicular exhausts; particularly diesel vehicles, road dust, and industrial
activities such as combustion processes, construction activities etc.

Traffic congestion on the roads, although underestimated, is another very

important factor as far as air pollution is concerned.Cars and jeeps are
responsible for a major share of Delhis vehicular load, their congestion
on the roads create nuisance. Moreover, 4-wheelers also need a lot of
space for parking. This further reduces the space on the roads leading to
high frequency of traffic jams. To reduce the pollution at traffic
intersection points, time clocks have been installed at most of the points
in the city. But it has been observed that hardly any vehicle owner
switches off the engine during that period. Thus fuel is continuously
burned at a fixed place which further adds up in the atmospheric
pollution load.

Metrological Reasons: Delhi, being a land-locked territory, is unable to

dilute its emission using the moderating effects of sea; the opportunity
availed by other metropolitan cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and
Chennai. Surrounded by the regions of varied climate, Delhi also
represents a great variability in the seasonal patterns.Thus, Delhi is
located in the subtropical belt with extremely scorching summers,
moderate rainfall, and chilling winters.
 Refrences

1. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/delhi-
pollution-cases-of-breathlessness-asthma-allergy-rise-in-the-
city-3739775/

2. http://www.cpcb.gov.in/CAAQM/mapPage/frmindiamap.aspx

3. Statistical Abstract of Delhi 2014

4. NAAQS Notification dated 18th November, 2009

5. Air Quality Index (AQI)