Monitoring ambient air quality in Indian city airsheds

Rapid urbanization and globalization has led to severe degradation of existing air quality in the majority of Indian cities. In this context, the general public has been aware of their exposure to ambient air quality and the effects of such air pollutants on human health. Hence, the concept of Air quality indices (AQI) is often used by regulatory authorities in conveying the status of existing ambient air quality to the general public. The chapter presents the application of air quality indices for assessing the existing air quality standards in an Indian city, Dharamshala, a tourist location in Himachal Pradesh, for the period of 2016-2017. Two different methods of determining AQI have been used wherein one method is used as the revised Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India with different sub-indices for Indian conditions based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methodology and another alternative method utilizes contribution from all criteria pollutants.

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Appraisal of Variation in Particulate Pollution Loading with a Change Induced by Anthropogenic Cultural Activity Over a South Indian City-Visakhapatnam

Asian Journal of Water Environment and Pollution ◽

10.3233/ajw210044 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 63-71

Author(s):

Kavitha Chandu ◽

Dharma Raju Akasapu ◽

Samudrala Venkata Jagannadha Kumar ◽

Madhavaprasad Dasari

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Cultural Activity ◽

Ambient Air Quality ◽

Particulate Pollution ◽

South Indian ◽

Pollution Loading ◽

Indian City ◽

Pm2.5 And Pm10

The study focusses on the variation of air quality assessed from mass concentrations of air pollutants in the year 2020 (particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3)) amidst COVID–19 restrictions on firework activity during Diwali festive period in Visakhapatnam city. The results are compared with 2018 and 2019. The results indicate that the firework activity affected ambient air quality. The effect is lower in 2020 than in 2018 and even in 2019. In 2019, the effect is lower compared to 2018 due to the washout of pollutants caused by unusual rains on those days.

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Application of Electron Optics to Characterization of Particulate Pollutants

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010009508x ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

pp. 364-365

Author(s):

J. B. Moran ◽

J. L. Miller

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Quality Standards ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Hazardous Substances ◽

Fuel Additives ◽

Ambient Air Quality ◽

Air Quality Standards ◽

Emission Standards ◽

Stationary Sources ◽

Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 provide the basis for a dramatic change in Federal air quality programs. The Act establishes new standards for motor vehicles and requires EPA to establish national ambient air quality standards, standards of performance for new stationary sources of pollution, and standards for stationary sources emitting hazardous substances. Further, it establishes procedures which allow states to set emission standards for existing sources in order to achieve national ambient air quality standards. The Act also permits the Administrator of EPA to register fuels and fuel additives and to regulate the use of motor vehicle fuels or fuel additives which pose a hazard to public health or welfare.National air quality standards for particulate matter have been established. Asbestos, mercury, and beryllium have been designated as hazardous air pollutants for which Federal emission standards have been proposed.

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