2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

International Status
Anwar et al (2012) carried out a similar study in Bahawalpur (Pakistan) in which they found a
strong relationship between air pollution and human health by using both primary and secondary
data. Khwaja et al. (2012) conducted a study in Karachi (Pakistan) about the effects of air
pollution on daily morbidity from August 2008 to August 2009. The study finds that the
concentration of PM2.5 in Karachi is one of the major sources of damaging human health.
Mayer, H. (1999) had studied emissions from motor traffic are a very important source group
throughout the world. During transmission, air pollutants are dispersed, diluted and subjected to
photochemical reactions. Ambient air pollution shows temporal and spatial variability. As an
example of the temporal variability of urban air pollutants caused by motor traffic, typical
average annual, weekly and diurnal cycles of NO, NO2, O3 and Ox are presented for an official
urban air-quality station in Stuttgart, southern Germany.
Chan, C. K. (2008) Air pollution in mega cities in China. Atmospheric environment, 42(1), 1-42.
Air pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China. Currently, Beijing,
Shanghai, and the Pearl River Delta region including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and
their immediate vicinities are the most economically vibrant regions in China. They accounted
for about 20% of the total GDP in China in 2005. These are also areas where many air pollution
studies have been conducted, especially over the last 6 years.
Fahe Chai et al (), Spatial and temporal variation of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in
26 cities in China, 2014. O3 and PM2.5 were introduced into the newly revised air quality
standard system in February 2012, representing a milestone in the history of air pollution control,
and China's urban air quality will be evaluated using six factors (SO2, NO2, O3, CO, PM2.5 and
PM10) from the beginning of 2013. To achieve the new air quality standard, it is extremely
important to have a primary understanding of the current pollution status in various cities. The
spatial and temporal variations of the air pollutants were investigated in 26 pilot cities in China
from August 2011 to February 2012, just before the new standard was executed. Hourly
averaged SO2, NO2 and PM10 were observed in 26 cities, and the pollutants O3, CO and PM2.5
were measured in 15 of the 26 cities. The concentrations of SO2 and CO were much higher in
the cities in north China than those in the south. As for O3 and NO2, however, there was no
significant difference between northern and southern cities. Fine particles were found to account
for a large proportion of airborne particles, with the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 ranging from 55%
to 77%. The concentrations of PM2.5 (57.5 μg/m3) and PM10 (91.2 μg/m3) were much higher
than the values (PM2.5: 11.2 μg/m3; PM10: 35.6 μg/m3) recommended by the World Health
Organization. The attainment of the new urban air quality standard in the investigated cities is
decreased by 20% in comparison with the older standard without considering O3, CO and
PM2.5, suggesting a great challenge in urban air quality improvement, and more efforts will to
be taken to control air pollution in China.
Jianlin Hu, Yungang et al (), Spatial and temporal variability of PM2.5 and PM10 over the North
China Plain and the Yangtze River Delta, China, Atmospheric Environment,2014 The North
China Plain (NCP) and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in China have been experiencing severe
particulate matter (PM) pollution problems associated with the rapid economic growth and the
accelerated urbanization. In this study, hourly mass concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 during
June 1st–August 31st, 2013 were collected in 13 cities located in or adjacent to the NCP region
and 20 cities located in the YRD region. The overall average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations
were 77.0 μg/m3 and 136.2 μg/m3 in the NCP region, respectively, and 42.8 μg/m3 and 74.9
μg/m3 in the YRD region, respectively. The frequencies of occurrence of concentrations
exceeding the China's Ambient Air Quality Standard (AAQS) (BG3095-12) Grade I standards
were 83% for PM2.5 and 93% for PM10 in the NCP region, and 51% for PM2.5 and 66% for
PM10 in the YRD region. Strong temporal correlation for both PM2.5 and PM10 between cities
within 250 km was frequently observed. PM2.5 was found to be negatively associated with wind
speed. On the PM2.5 episode days (when the 24 h PM2.5 concentration is greater than 75
μg/m3), average PM2.5 concentrations were 2–4 times greater compared to the non-episode
days. The PM2.5 to PM10 ratio increased from 0.50 (0.57) on the non-episode days to 0.64
(0.64) on the episode days in the NCP (YRD) region. No distinct weekday/weekend difference
was observed for PM2.5, PM10, and other gaseous pollutants (CO, SO2, NO2, and O3) in all
cities. The results presented in this paper will serve as an important basis for future regional air
quality modeling and source apportionment studies.
Fromme, H. et al (2008) had worked on chemical and morphological properties of particulate
matter (PM10, PM2. 5) in school classrooms and outdoor air. Atmospheric Environment, 42(27),
6597-6605. Studies have shown high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) in schools.
Further insights into the sources and the composition of these particles are needed. During school
hours for a period of 6 weeks, outdoor air and the air in two classrooms were sampled. PM was
measured gravimetrically, and PM filters were used for the determination of the elemental and
organic carbon, light absorbance, and 10 water-soluble ions. Some filters were further analyzed
by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive microanalysis (EDX). The
median PM10 concentrations were 118.2 μg m−3 indoors and 24.2 μg m−3 outdoors;
corresponding results for PM2.5 were 37.4 μg m−3 indoors and 17.0 μg m−3 outdoors. Using
PM10 and PM2.5 data, we calculated the following indoor/outdoor ratios: 0.3 and 0.4 (sulfate),
0.1 and 0.2 (nitrate), 0.1 and 0.3 (ammonium), and 1.4 and 1.6 (calcium). Using the measured
sulfate content on PM filters as an indicator for ambient PM sources, we estimated that 43% of
PM2.5 and 24% of PM10, respectively, were of ambient origin. The composition of the
classrooms' PM (e.g., high calcium concentrations) and the findings from SEM/EDX suggest that
the indoor PM consists mainly of earth crustal materials, detrition of the building materials and
chalk. Physical activity of the pupils leads to resuspension of mainly indoor coarse particles and
greatly contributes to increased PM10 in classrooms. The concentration of fine particles caused
by combustion processes indoors and outdoors is comparable. We conclude that PM measured in
classrooms has major sources other than outdoor particles. Assuming that combustion-related
particles and crustal materials vary in toxicity, our results support the hypothesis that indoor-
generated PM may be less toxic compared to PM in ambient air.
Zeb, B. et al (2018) studied on the morphology and composition of particulate matter in an urban
environment. Aerosol and air quality research, 18(6), 1431. Particulate matter (PM) plays a vital
role in altering air quality, human health, and climate change. There are sparse data relevant to
PM characteristics in urban environments of the Middle East, including Peshawar city in
Pakistan. This work reports on the morphology and composition of PM in two size fractions
(PM2.5 and PM10) during November 2016 in Peshawar. The 24 hous mass concentration of
PM2.5 varied from 72 μg m−3 to 500 μg m−3 with an average value of 286 μg m−3. The 24
hours PM10 concentration varied from 300 μg m−3 to 1440 μg m−3 with an average of 638 μg
m−3. The morphology, size, and elemental composition of PM were measured using Fourier
Transform Infra Red (FT-IR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with
Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy. The size of the analyzed particles by EDX ranged
from 916 nm to 22 μm. Particles were classified into the following groups based on their
elemental composition and morphology: silica (12%), aluminosilicates (23%), calcium rich
(3%), chloride (2%), Fe/Ti oxides (3%), carbonaceous (49%), sulfate (5%), biogenic (3%). The
major identified sources of PM are vehicular emissions, biomass burning, soil and re-suspended
road dust, biological emissions, and construction activities in and around the vicinity of the
sampling site.
Arfaeinia, H. et al (2016) had analyzed morphological and mineralogical study of PM2.5
particles in the air of Tehran, relying on the analysis of EDX-SEM images and XRD analysis.
Journal of Health, 7(2), 134-145. In addition to determining the chemical characteristics of
particles in the air of cities, investigating the physical properties and their role in environmental
pollution is also important. So the aim of this study is the investigation of morphological and
mineralogical of PM2.5 particles in the air of Tehran, relying on the analysis of EDX-SEM
images and XRD analysis. In this study, samples of PM2.5 particles in the air of Tehran Sina
Hospital area were collected by frmOMNITMAmbient Air Sampler with PTFE filter with a
diameter of 47 mm. Evaluation the mineralogical composition, size, and size percentage
frequency and Finally, to determine the shape of particles XRD analysis and EDX-SEM images
were used. The results of EDX-SEM images analysis showed that the most important elements
in PM2.5 particles are oxygen (07.43-32.39%), calcium (49.7- 48.5%), aluminum (72. 5-32. 5%),
iron (42.3- 21.3%), magnesium (79.1-19.1%), potassium (57.1-5.1%), zinc (48.1- 28.1%), and
some particulates, sulfur (61.4%), sodium (66.0-51.0%), fluorine (61.0%) and titanium (53.0%)
have also been found. XRD results showed that the mineral constituent of the samples studied,
are mostly in the fourth phase of the mineral core containing carbonate (mostly calcite), clay
(Askm Tate and Kahn Ditte), silicates (mainly quartz) and Philo silicates (mainly kaolinite).
Minor phases include minerals such as muscovite, illite, calcite and Palygurskyt. These elements
are defined and identified as components originating from the Earth's crust and human activities
have no large role in the production and release of these elements. In most particulate matter,
carbon element has also been detected in some particles, although the carbon could not be
identified. The high percentage of carbon in some aerosolsof this element is to indicate the origin
of fossil fuels. Comparing the results of XRD and SEM-EDX analysis, it showed that these
results are well proved.
Zhang, J. et al (2000) studied Greenhouse gases and other airborne pollutants from household
stoves in China: a database for emission factors. Atmospheric Environment, 34(26), 4537-4549.
Emissions from household stoves, especially those using solid fuels, can contribute significantly
to greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and have adverse health impacts. Few data are available on
emissions from the numerous types of cookstoves used in developing countries. We have
systematically measured emissions from 56 fuel/stove combinations in India and China, a large
fraction of the combinations in use world-wide. A database was generated containing emission
factors of direct and indirect GHGs and other airborne pollutants such as CO2, CO, CH4,
TNMHC, N2O, SO2, NOx, TSP, etc. In this paper, we report on the 28 fuel/stove combinations
tested in China. Since fuel and stove parameters were measured simultaneously along with the
emissions, the database allows construction of complete carbon balances and analyses of the
trade-off of emissions per unit fuel mass and emissions per delivered energy. Results from the
analyses show that the total emissions per unit delivered energy were substantially greater from
burning the solid fuels than from burning the liquid or gaseous fuels, due to lower thermal and
combustion efficiencies for solid-fuel/stove combinations. For a given biomass fuel type,
increasing overall stove efficiency tends to increase emissions of products of incomplete
combustion. Biomass fuels are typically burned with substantial production of non-CO2 GHGs
with greater radiative forcing, indicating that biomass fuels have the potential to produce net
global warming commitments even when grown renewably.
Mannucci, P. M. et al (2017) analyzed health effects of ambient air pollution in developing
countries. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(9), 1048. The
deleterious effects of ambient air pollution on human health have been consistently documented
by many epidemiologic studies worldwide, and it has been calculated that globally at least seven
million deaths are annually attributable to the effects of air pollution. The major air pollutants
emitted into the atmosphere by a number of natural processes and human activities include
nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. In addition to the poor
ambient air quality, there is increasing evidence that indoor air pollution also poses a serious
threat to human health, especially in low-income countries that still use biomass fuels as an
energy resource. This review summarizes the current knowledge on ambient air pollution in
financially deprived populations.

National Status
Guttikunda, S. K et al (2014) Nature of air pollution, emission sources, and management in the
Indian cities. Atmospheric environment, 95, 501-510. The global burden of disease study
estimated 695,000 premature deaths in 2010 due to continued exposure to outdoor particulate
matter and ozone pollution for India. By 2030, the expected growth in many of the sectors
(industries, residential, transportation, power generation, and construction) will result in an
increase in pollution related health impacts for most cities.
Kandlikar, M et al (2000) studied causes and consequences of particulate air pollution in urban
India: a synthesis of the science. Annual review of energy and the environment, 25(1), 629-684.
Indian megacities are among the most polluted in the world. Air concentrations of a number of
air pollutants are much higher than levels recommended by the World Health Organization. In
this paper, we focus on Mumbai and Delhi to characterize salient issues in health risks from
particulate air (PM10) pollution in Indian cities. We perform a synthesis of the literature for all
elements of the causal chain of health risks—sources, exposure, and health effects—and provide
estimates of source strengths, exposure levels, and health risks from air pollution in Indian cities.
We also analyze the factors that lead to uncertainty in these quantities and provide an overall
assessment of the state of scientific knowledge on air pollution in urban India.
Shrivastava, R. K. et al (2013) studied air pollution due to road transportation in India: A review
on assessment and reduction strategies. Journal of environmental research and development,
8(1), 69. Rapid urbanization and growth of motor vehicles impose a serious effect on human life
and its environment in recent years. Most of the cities of India are being suffered by extremely
high level of urban air pollution particularly in the form of CO, SO2, NO2, PM (Particulate
Matter) and RSPM (Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter). Transport sectors contributes a
major share to environmental pollution (around 70%). A among these pollutants CO is the major
pollutant coming from the transport sector, contributing 90% of total emission. Hydrocarbons are
next to CO .It is indeed interesting to observe that the contribution of transport sector to the
particulate pollution is as less as 3-5%, most of the SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) are
generated due to re-suspension of dust out of which PM10 is the most prominent air pollutant.
NOx is another important air quality indicator. All these situations indicate that air pollution
becoming a major problem in Indian context and there is an essential need to built up healthy
environment and increase level of research around the world. The present study is a review of an
assessment model for emitted pollutants and effective strategies to reduce air pollution due to
road transport.
Ghose, M. K. et al (2004) had studied assessment of the impacts of vehicular pollution on urban
air quality. Journal of environmental science & engineering. Air quality crisis in cities is mainly
due to vehicular emissions. Owing to the expanding economic base Indian cities is growing at a
faster rate. Transportation systems are increasing everywhere and the improved technology is
insufficient to counteract growth. The effect of vehicular emission on urban air quality and
human health has been described.
Gupta, U. (2008) had done Valuation of Urban Air Pollution: A Case Study of Kanpur City in
India. Environ Resource Econ 41, 315–326 this study estimates the monetary benefits to
individuals from health damages avoided if air pollution is reduced in the urban industrial city of
Kanpur in India. A notable feature of this study is that it uses data from weekly health-diaries
collected for three seasons. For measuring monetary benefits, the study considers two major
components of health cost that is incurred due to adverse effects of air pollution on health i.e.,
the loss in wages due to workdays lost from work and the expenditure incurred on mitigating
activities. The study estimates that a representative working individual from Kanpur would gain
Rs. 165.47 per year if air pollution were reduced to a safe level. The extrapolated annual benefits
for the entire population in the city are Rs. 224.55 million.
Ghose, M.K. et al (2005) had assessed the Status of Urban Air pollution And Its Impact on
Human Health in the City of Kolkata. Environ Monit Assess 108, 151–167 (2005). Air pollution
has significant effects on exacerbation of asthma, allergy and other respiratory diseases. Like
many other magacities in the world the ambient air quality of Kolkata is also being deteriorated
day by day. Automobile exhausts and certain industrial pollutants produce O3 by photochemical
reactions. The particulate matter, particularly less than 10 μ in size, can pass through the natural
protective mechanism of human respiratory system and plays an important role in genesis and
augmentation of allergic disorders. Sources of air pollution in the area and the unique problem
arising out of the emission from the vehicles, industries, etc. have been described. Ambient air
quality was monitored along with micrometeorological data and the results are discussed. The
status of air pollution in the area has been evaluated and a questionnaire survey was conducted to
estimate the allergic symptoms and exposure to assess the respiratory disorders. The data are
analysed to evaluate the critical situation arising out of the emission of air pollutants and the
impact on human health due to respirable diseases (RDs) to middle class sub-population
(activity-wise) in the area are assessed. A strategic air quality management plan has been
proposed. For the mitigation of air pollution problems in the city, the different measures to be
adopted to maintain the balance between sustainable development and environmental
management have been discussed.
Agrawal, G. et al (2021) observed ambient air pollution in selected small cities in India:
Observed trends and future challenges. IATSS Research. Exposure to ambient air pollution is a
major threat to human health in most Indian cities. Recent studies have reported that more than
three-quarters of the people in India are exposed to pollution levels higher than the limits
recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in India and significantly higher
than those recommended by the World Health Organization. Despite the poor air quality, the
monitoring of air pollution levels is limited even in large urban areas in India and virtually absent
in small towns and rural areas. The lack of data results in a minimal understanding of spatial
patterns of air pollutants at local and regional levels. This paper presents particulate air pollution
trends monitored over one year in three small cities in India. The findings are important for
framing state and regional level policies for addressing air pollution problems in cities, and
achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) linked to public health, reduction in the
adverse environmental impact of cities, and adaptation to climate change, as indicated by SDGs
3.9, 11.6 and 11.b.
Nidhi Sharma et al (2020) studied Empirical analysis of life quality based on air pollution in
states of India. Journal of Statistics and Management Systems 23:7, pages 1213-1226. This study
assesses human health risk in 10 cities in Maharashtra, India, in terms of mortality and morbidity
due to three critical pollutants (i.e. PM10, SO2, and NO2). Risk of mortality/morbidity due to air
pollution (Ri-MAP) model adopted in air quality health impact assessment (AirQ) software is
used to evaluate the direct health impacts of various critical air pollutants in various cities in
Maharashtra during the period 2004–2013. The result shows that excess number of mortality and
morbidity in Nagpur, Thane, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, and Chandrapur is in increasing trend,
while cities like Mumbai and Solapur are in decreasing trend, and other cities as Pune, Nashik,
and Navi-Mumbai are in a steady-state condition. Cities having highest annual average excess
number of total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and respiratory motility in one million
population are Mumbai (1,192, 724, and 121) (high population city), Chandrapur (944, 533, and
98) (low population city), Navi-Mumbai (797, 492, and 84), and Pune (733, 449, and 78) in
decreasing order. Cities having highest annual average of hospital admission due to respiratory
disease and cardiovascular disease among one million population are in decreasing order:
Mumbai (1,519 and 582), Chandrapur (1,173 and 451), Navi-Mumbai (986 and 378), Pune (901
and 348), and Solapur (797 and 320).
Guttikunda, S. K. (2014) had analyzed source emissions and health impacts of urban air
pollution in Hyderabad, India. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 7(2), 195-207. The source
apportionment study in Hyderabad listed transportation, industries, and waste burning as critical
sources of particulate matter (PM) pollution in the city. In this paper, we present sector-specific
emissions for 2010–2011 for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation region, accounting
for 42,600 t of PM10 (PM size <10 μm), 24,500 t of PM2.5 (PM size <2.5 μm), 11,000 t of
sulfur dioxide, 127,000 t of nitrogen oxides, 431,000 t of carbon monoxide, 113,400 t of non-
methane volatile organic compounds, and 25.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The
inventory is spatially disaggregated at 0.01° resolution on a GIS platform, for use in a chemical
transport model (ATMoS). The modeled concentrations for the urban area are 105.2 ± 28.6
μg/m3 for PM10 and 72.6 ± 18.0 μg/m3 for PM2.5, when overlaid on gridded population,
resulted in estimated 3,700 premature deaths and 280,000 asthma attacks for 2010–2011. The
analysis shows that aggressive pollution control measures are imperative to control pollution in
Hyderabad and reduce excess exposure levels on the roads and in the residential areas. The
planning and implementation of measures like advancing the public transportation systems,
integrating the road and metro-rail services, promotion of walking and cycling, introduction of
cleaner brick production technologies, encouraging efficient technologies for the old and the new
industries, and better waste management systems to control garbage burning need to take
priority, as these measures are expected to result in health benefits, which surpass any of the
institutional, technical, and economic costs.
Guttikunda, S. K. et al (2019) had worked on Air pollution knowledge assessments (APnA) for
20 Indian cities. Urban Climate, 27, 124-141. Delhi, with a population of 22 million (1.6% of
national total) is one of the most polluted capital cities in the world. Nearly 50% of the published
literature in India focus on air pollution in Delhi. However, air pollution impacts are not limited
only to the capital city. Yet, there is little information and attempt to quantify these impacts for
Tier 1 and 2 cities, even though they account for >30% of India's population. To remedy this
vacuum of information, the Air Pollution knowledge Assessments (APnA) city program
deliberately focuses on 20 Indian cities, other than Delhi. We established baseline multi-pollutant
high-resolution emissions inventory, after collating information from multiple resources detailed
in this paper, which was used to estimate spatial concentrations of key pollutants across city's
urban airshed using WRF-CAMx chemical transport modeling system. The inventory includes
anthropogenic sources, such as transport (road, rail, ship, and aviation), large scale power
generation (from coal, diesel, and gas power plants), small scale power generation (from diesel
generator sets for household use, commercial use, and agricultural water pumping), small and
medium scale industries, dust (road resuspension and construction), domestic (cooking, heating,
and lighting), open waste burning, and open fires and non-anthropogenic sources, such as sea
salt, dust storms, biogenic, and lightning. The emissions inventory is currently in use for 3-day
advance air quality forecasting for public release on an on-going basis. Using meteorological
parameters and big data like gridded speed maps from google, the emissions inventory is
dynamically updated. The results from this research will be valuable to local and national policy
makers - especially the information on source contributions to air pollution.
Pavan K. Nagar et al (2019) had worked on a new method for trend analyses in PM10 and
impact of crop residue burning in Delhi, Kanpur and Jaipur, India. Crop residue burning (CRB)
is a widespread practice in the Indian States. Emission from CRB is transported from west to east
in the Ganga Basin (GB). Long-term (5 to 9 years) patterns of PM10 were studied in three cities
in GB: Delhi, Kanpur and Jaipur, with an emphasis on assessing the impact of CRB. Mean half-
monthly PM10 concentrations were plotted over the years and a fifth degree polynomial was
fitted. These plots logically explained PM10 pattern in different seasons. It was concluded that
the episodic CRB in the States of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh during post-monsoon
(October-November) has altered the air quality of Delhi and Kanpur for the worse. Impact of
CRB is least in Jaipur. A new quantitative method is developed to detect the trend in a time
series by fitting a polynomial to the data and examining the rate of change of slope of fitted
polynomial over the years in statistical sense. Detection of trend from the proposed method and
that from Mann-Kendall test showed a match of 80%. It is concluded that the proposed method
provides a quantitative assessment of trend. These cities did not show any particular trend in 45-
day slots over the years.
Kumar, P. et al (2015) had studied air pollution challenges for developing megacities like Delhi.
Atmospheric Environment, 122, 657-661. Most major cities around the world experience periods
of elevated air pollution levels, which exceed international health-based air quality standards
(Kumar et al., 2013). Although it is a global problem, some of the highest air pollution levels are
found in rapidly expanding cities in India and China. The sources, emissions, transformations
and broad effects of meteorology on air pollution are reasonably well accounted in air quality
control strategies in many developed cities; however these key factors remain poorly constrained
in the growing cities of countries with emerging economies. We focus here on Delhi, one of the
largest global population centres, which faces particular air pollution challenges, now and in the
future.
Lawrence, A. et al (2014) had analyzed Urban air pollution & its assessment in Lucknow City—
the second largest city of North India. Science of the total environment, 488, 447-455.
Investigations were carried out during the summer season (March–June 2012) to observe the
quality of indoor air by monitoring the levels of some selected air pollutants at 15 different
houses covering the urban areas of Lucknow City. Concentrations of CO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5,
SO2 and NO2 were monitored indoors and outdoors simultaneously and I/O ratios were
calculated. Regression analysis for I/O relationship was performed to assess the contribution of
outdoor sources to indoor air quality. Air Quality Index (AQI) for indoor air was also calculated
to have an idea about the quality of indoor air and their health effects. In collaboration with the
medical college doctors of the city, we surveyed 197 persons to find out different
diseases/symptoms being faced due to indoor air pollution. Results of the study revealed that the
average levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were above the permissible limits laid by WHO at densely
populated and roadside sites with 189 μg/m3 (PM2.5 76 μg/m3) and 226 μg/m3 (PM2.5 91
μg/m3) respectively. Correlation analysis showed positive results. At sites like Alambagh and
Chowk, the indoor AQI range was alarming with the values of 302 and 209. Survey results also
showed that 46% of urban people suffered from acute respiratory infections like bronchial
asthma, headache, depression and dizziness and these people were mostly from Roadside
colonies.
Sridevi Jena et al (2007) had done human health risk assessment of airborne trace elements in
Dhanbad, India,Atmospheric Pollution Research,2017 Trace element concentrations in PM10
were investigated for their distribution, source apportionment and health impact assessment in
Dhanbad, Jharkhand. PM10 at ten monitoring stations were collected on glass fiber filters during
March 2014 to February 2015 and the quantification of the trace elements was done by using
ICP-OES. The results revealed relatively high average annual concentration of PM10 (216 ± 82
μg/m3) which is about 3.6 times the NAAQS (CPCB) and 10.8 times the WHO air quality
guidelines. The highest concentration of PM10 was found during winter season (249 μg/m3)
followed by summer (217 μg/m3) and post-monsoon (183 μg/m3). Among the trace elements Zn
(4753 ng/m3) and Fe (3661 ng/m3) were observed with highest concentration. Enrichment factor
analysis revealed very high enrichment of Zn and Cd, indicating their specific anthropogenic
origin. From the results of principle component analysis, vehicular emissions (exhaust as well as
non-exhaust), road dust resuspension, coal combustion and mine fire were identified as the
foremost sources of PM10 in the study area. The potential health risks (non-carcinogenic and
carcinogenic) associated with different trace elements (for adults and children) were also
estimated by using the concentration of concerned elements. Ingestion and inhalation were
observed as the primary route of trace element exposure to humans. Multi elemental hazard
index indicated integrated impacts of a mixture of elements especially in case of children. The
carcinogenic risk assessment illustrated very high probability of cancer risk to the inhabitants in
the area, especially in children (10–18 times higher than adults).
Ghosh, A. et al (2010) had studied Air pollution and child health in urban India. A potential
source of confounding in studies investigating the effect of indoor air pollution on child health is
exposure to ambient air pollution. We investigate this relationship pairing city-level air pollution
measures with child level data from the National Family Health Survey (2005-06) for six cities
in India. We address simultaneity in child health outcomes and potential endogeneity of city-
level air pollution by using a bivariate probit regression framework with city fixed effects. Our
findings show an increase in ambient air pollution significantly increases child morbidity; 2) the
type of cooking fuel used at home (usual measure of indoor pollution) is not a significant
determinant of child morbidity once ambient air pollution and other child, household, and city-
level covariates are controlled for; and 3) it is important to explicitly account for the correlation
in various child health outcomes by modeling them jointly. Our findings suggest that targeted
city-wide reductions in ambient air pollution could play an important role in improving child
health.
Guttikunda, S. K. et al (2012) had assessed Role of meteorology in seasonality of air pollution in
megacity Delhi, India. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 184(5), 3199-3211. The
winters in megacity Delhi are harsh, smoggy, foggy, and highly polluted. The pollution levels are
approximately two to three times those monitored in the summer months, and the severity is felt
not only in the health department but also in the transportation department, with regular delays at
airport operations and series of minor and major accidents across the road corridors. The impacts
felt across the city are both manmade (due to the fuel burning) and natural (due to the
meteorological setting), and it is hard to distinguish their respective proportions. Over the last
decade, the city has gained from timely interventions to control pollution, and yet, the pollution
levels are as bad as the previous year, especially for the fine particulates, the most harmful of the
criteria pollutants, with a daily 2009 average of 80 to 100 μg/m3. In this paper, the role of
meteorology is studied using a Lagrangian model called Atmospheric Transport Modeling
System in tracer mode to better understand the seasonality of pollution in Delhi. A clear
conclusion is that irrespective of constant emissions over each month, the estimated tracer
concentrations are invariably 40% to 80% higher in the winter months (November, December,
and January) and 10% to 60% lower in the summer months (May, June, and July), when
compared to annual average for that year. Along with monitoring and source apportionment
studies, this paper presents a way to communicate complex physical characteristics of
atmospheric modeling in simplistic manner and to further elaborate linkages between local
meteorology and pollution.
Mohanraj, R. et al (2005) had stated Urban development and particulate air pollution in
Coimbatore city, India. International Journal of environmental studies, 62(1), 69-78. Haphazard
urbanization and unprecedented vehicular growth that exacerbate air quality are prevalent
features in India. Coimbatore, an important industrial city ranking 15th in terms of principal
urban agglomerations of India, was classified as a moderately polluted area in National Ambient
Air Quality Monitoring survey in 1997. The current study (March 1999–February 2001) was
undertaken to assess suspended particulate matter (SPM) in urban and suburban Coimbatore. It
was found that in the Coimbatore atmosphere SPM with a diameter of less than 10 µm
(respirable fraction, RSPM or PM10) and those with a diameter above 10 µm, the non ‐respirable
(NRSPM) fraction, ranged between 30–149 µg/m3 and 24.4–460 µg/m3 respectively. The study
infers that urban areas, especially those with frequent vehicular traffic and traffic congestion, had
comparatively high RSPM exceeding the Indian prescribed standards (60 µg/m3). Emission
inventory estimated for current vehicle strength showed that about 840 000 kg of particulate
matter was emitted during 2001. Wind speed negatively correlated with RSPM, while it was
positively correlated with NRSPM. Temperature had a negative correlation with RSPM values.
Bera, B. et al (2020) stated significant impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on urban air pollution in
Kolkata (India) and amelioration of environmental health. Environment, development and
sustainability, 1-28. The fatal novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disease smashes the
normal tempo of global socio-economic and cultural livelihood. Most of the countries impose a
lockdown system with social distancing measures to arrest the rapid transmission of this virus
into the human body. The objective of this study is to examine the status of air quality during and
pre-COVID-19 lockdown and to recommend some long-term sustainable environmental
management plan. The pollution data like PM10, PM2.5, O3, SO2, NO2 and CO have been
obtained from State Pollution Control Board under Govt. of West Bengal. Similarly, various land
surface temperature (LST) maps have been prepared using LANDSAT-8 OLI and LANDSAT-7
ETM + images of USGS. The maps of NO2 and aerosol concentration over Indian subcontinent
have been taken from ESA and NASA. The digital thematic maps and diagrams have been
depicted by Grapher 13 and Arc GIS 10.3 platforms. The result shows that the pollutants like
CO, NO2 and SO2 are significantly decreased, while the average level of O3 has been slightly
increased in 2020 during the lockdown due to close-down of all industrial and transport
activities. Meanwhile, around 17.5% was the mean reduction of PM10 and PM2.5 during
lockdown compared with previous years owing to complete stop of vehicles movement, burning
of biomass and dust particles from the construction works. This study recommends some air
pollution-tolerant plant species (in urban vacant spaces and roof tops) for long-term cohabitation
among environment, society and development.
Pachauri, T. et al (2013) had SEM-EDX characterization of individual coarse particles in Agra,
India. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 13(2), 523-536. Aerosol samples were collected during
winter and summer season in Agra, India. The mass concentrations of TSP ranged from 206.1–
380.5 μg/m3 with the average concentration of 306.1 μg/m3. The seasonal average
concentrations of TSP were 273.4 ± 85.5 μg/m3 in summer and 338.6 ± 89.1 μg/m3 in winter.
The high levels of mass concentration during winter may be attributed to different emission
sources and meteorological conditions at this time of year. The morphology, size and elemental
composition of individual aerosol particles were examined using a scanning electron microscope
(SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray system (EDX). The particles analyzed in the
study were mostly of large size, with equivalent diameters ranging from 2 to 70 μm. Based on
the results of the elemental composition and morphology, 3,500 particles were classified into
three groups: biogenic aerosol, geogenic and anthropogenic particles. Different groups of
particles have varied morphologies. The soil related aerosols were dominant during the sampling
period, showing that crustal materials are the primary contributor to airborne particles at this site.
A distinct seasonal variation in the amount of carbonaceous particles was observed. The
significant increase in mineral dust particles found during summer may be attributed to the
contribution of dust storms, which is also supported by a trajectory cluster analysis.
Shen, H. et al (2016) elevated concentrations of lead in particulate matter on the neighborhood-
scale in Delhi, India as determined by single particle analysis. Environmental science &
technology, 50(10), 4961-4970. High mass concentrations of atmospheric lead particles are
frequently observed in the Delhi, India metropolitan area, although the sources of lead particles
are poorly understood. In this study, particles sampled across Delhi (August – December 2008)
were analyzed by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-
ray spectroscopy (CCSEM-EDX) to improve our understanding of the spatial and
physicochemical variability of lead-rich particles (>90% lead). The mean mass concentration of
lead-rich particles smaller than 10 μm (PM10) was 0.7 μg/m3 (1.5 μg/m3 std. dev.) with high
variability (range: 0–6.2 μg/m3). Four samples (16% of 25 samples) with PM10 lead-rich
particle concentrations >1.4 μg/m3 were defined as lead events and studied further. The temporal
characteristics, heterogeneous spatial distribution, and wind patterns of events, excluded regional
monsoon conditions or common anthropogenic sources from being the major causes of the lead
events. Individual particle composition, size, and morphology analysis indicate informal
recycling operations of used lead-acid batteries as the likely source of the lead events. This
source is not typically included in emission inventories, and the observed isolated hotspots with
high lead concentrations could represent an elevated exposure risk in certain neighborhoods of
Delhi.
Pandey, M. et al (2017) had studied speciation of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic metals in
respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10) in Varanasi, India. Urban Climate, 19, 141-154.
Present study deals with the speciation of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic metal (Cr, Mn, Fe,
Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) using sequential
extraction procedure (SEP) in ambient air of Varanasi, India. Higher concentration of Fe, Zn and
Cu followed by Cr, Mn, Co, Cd and Pb was found in RSPM. Exchangeable fraction was highly
significant in all metals except Fe which was dominant in residual fractions. Scanning Electron
Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was conducted to assess weight
percentage of elements. EDX results revealed that particulate matter collected at Banaras Hindu
University (BHU) contain Boron (55.39 wt%) which was absent at other two sites. Cu, Zn, Cd
and Pb were present in significant wt% at BHU and Chandpur Industrial Estate. Metals released
from anthropogenic activities may cause respiratory and dermal diseases as immediate
symptoms. In long term, bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of metals may lead to serious
life threatening diseases like cancer.
Srivastava, D. et al (2016) had analyzed particle bound metals at major intersections in an urban
location and source identification through use of metal markers. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, India Section A: Physical Sciences, 86(2), 209-220. Air quality
monitoring for Kanpur in North India, an industrial city ranked among the top ten most polluted
cities worldwide, was conducted in summer 2011. Airborne particulate matter (PM) sample from
six locations were analyzed for metals. Source identification conducted using metals as source
markers reveals probable sources of airborne particles being vehicular emissions, industrial, and
railway activity. Findings were substantiated by investigating morphological characteristics and
elemental composition of PM using SEM-EDX analysis at three major sites. In addition to
confirmation of results by metal marker method, SEM-EDX analysis revealed presence of
sulphur (S) which highlights influence of Panki Thermal Power Plant on air quality. The study
shows that high levels of metals observed in airborne particles at major intersections may pose a
significant cancer risk by exposure to toxics such as Cr, Pb and Ni.

Local Status
Bhattacharya, T. (2012) stated ambient air quality and the air pollution tolerance indices of some
common plant species of Anand city, Gujarat, India. The present study was performed to
measure the air pollution status of Anand City and its impact on the prevalent vegetation in the
urban habitat. SPM, Sox and NOx were measured using HVAS in the dry season. Ten sampling
sites with one control site were chosen as sampling site based on the traffic density.
Prajapati, B. et al (2011) studied on prevalence of acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) in
under five children in urban and rural communities of Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. National
Journal of Community Medicine, 2(2), 255-259. Acute respiratory tract infection is a major
cause of morbidity and mortality in developing and also developed countries. About 13 Million
under 5 children dies every year in the world, 95% of them in developing countries, one third of
total deaths are due to ARI. A cross sectional study was covering 500 under 5 children living in
urban (five zone) and rural (five PHC of sanand taluka) area of Ahmedabad district from
September 2008 to March 2009. : Prevalence of ARI was lower in urban area (17.2%) as
compare to rural area (26.8%) (Combine is 22%). In rural area, it is more because of lack of
availability of basic health services, lack of awareness, and other associated factors like
overcrowding, low socio-economic status, absence of cross ventilation, indoor air pollution are
responsible factors.
An assessment of potential greenhouse gas emission at soil atmosphere interface and air
pollution tolerance index studies from selected ecosystems of central gujarat. A diverse study on
the greenhouse gases on selected ecosystems of Central Gujarat depicting the deterioration and
emission factor of greenhouse gases At the global scale, the key GHGs emitted are CH4, CO2,
N2O and some of the fluorinated gases. The estimated amount of CO2 emission from fossil fuel
and industrial processes is 65% and the emission from forestry and other landuse is 11%. The
CH4 emission is 16%, N2O emission is 6% and other fluorinated gases have 2% of emission
(IPCC, 2014).