POLLUTANTS

AVERAGE TIME CONCENTRATION

sulphur dioxide (SO2)

Annual average
24 hour

60 g/cubic m
80 g/cubic m

Oxides of Nitrogen (NO2)

A.A
24H

60 g/cubic m
80 g/cubic m

Suspended Particulate
Matter (SPM)

A.A
24H

140g/cubic m
200g/cubic m

Lead

A.A
24H

0.75 g/cubic m
1.0 g/cubic m

Carbon Monoxide

A.A
24H

2.0 g/cubic m
84.0 g/cubic m

Respirable Particulate
Matter (RPM)

A.A
24H

60 g/cubicm
100 g/cubic m

POLLUTANTS

AVERAGE TIME

AQG value

1 year 24
hour(99th
percentile)
1 year 24
hour(99th
percentile)

10 g/cubic metre
25 g/cubic metre
20 g/cubic metre
50 g/cubic metre

Ozone, O3

8 hour, daily
maximum

100 g/cubic metre

Nitrogen dioxide, NO2

1 year 1 hour

40g/cubic metre
200g/cubic metre

Sulfur dioxide, SO2

24 hour 10
minute

20 g/cubic metre
500 g/cubic metre

Particulate matter
PM2.5
PM10

Gas Chromatography (GC)

Gas chromatography (GC) coupled with a flame ionization detector (FID) is employed for
qualitative identification and quantitative determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in
air pollution monitoring.

The GC, consists of a column, oven and detector. In the gas chromatograph, a sample goes to
the column, separates into individual compounds and proceeds through the hydrogen flame
ionization detector.

Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS)

AAS is a sensitive means for the quantitative determination of more than 60 metals or metalloid
elements.

Principle: This technique operates by measuring energy changes in the atomic state of the
analyte. For example, AAS is used to measure lead in particulate monitoring.

Figure: Atomic absorption spectrometry

Particles are collected by gravimetric methods in a Teflon (PTFE) filter, lead is acid-extracted from
the filter.

The aqueous sample is vaporized and dissociates into its elements in the gaseous state. The
element being measured, in this case lead, is aspirated into a flame or injected into a graphite
furnace and atomized.

A hollow cathode or electrode less discharge lamp for the element being determined provides a
source of that metal's particular absorption wavelength.

The atoms in the unionized or "ground" state absorb energy, become excited, and advance to a
higher energy level.

A detector measures the amount of light absorbed by the element, hence the number of atoms in
the ground state in the flame or furnace.

The data output from the spectrometer can be recorded on a strip chart recorder or processed by
computer

Table 1. Methods of Measuring and Analyzing Air Pollutants

Variable
Method
Principle
Measured
Particles are trapped or collected on filters, and the filters are
Gravimetric
PM10, PM2.5
weighed to determine the volume of the pollutant.
more than 60
metals or
This technique operates by measuring energy changes in the
Atomic absorption
metalloid
atomic state of the analyte. Emitted radiation is a function of
spectrometry (AAS)
elements (e.g. Pb, atoms present in the sample.
Hg, Zn)
Measure the amount of light that a sample absorbs. The
Spectrophotometry
SO2, O3
amount of light absorbed indicates the amount of analyte
present in the sample.
Based upon the emission spectrum of an excited species that is
Chemiluminescence
SO2, O3
formed in the course of a chemical reaction.
Gas chromatography
(GC) - flame
Responds in proportion to number of carbon atoms in gas
VOC
ionization detector
sample.
(FID)
Gas chromatographyMass spectrometers use the difference in mass-to-charge ratio
mass spectrometry
VOC
(m/z) of ionized atoms or molecules to separate them from
(GC-MS)
each other.
Fourier Transform
Sample absorbs infrared radiation and difference in absorption
Infrared
CO, VOC, CH4
is measured.
Spectroscopy (FTIR)