3. Seasonal Variation of Air Pollutants of Delhi and its Health Effects George et al.
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NeBIO I www.nebio.in I Vol. 4, No. 4, August 2013, 42-46 43
activity, fires, natural windblown dust etc. O3 is
asecondary pollutant formed by the photochemical
reactions of other primary pollutants like Nitrogen
dioxide and hydrocarbon. SO2 is formed by the
burning of fossil fuel especially coal and oils.
Different air pollutants can affect different organs of
human body. SO2, NO and particulate matter can
cause nose and throat irritation, which in case of
vulnerable persons (like persons suffering from lung
disorders, asthma and bronchitis etc. children and
adults with lesser immunities) can cause serious
emphysema, asthma and even lung cancer (Balmes et
al, 1987; Kagawa, 1985). Particulate matter (<2.5µm)
can enter the alveolar epithelium and cause lung
inflammation (Ghio and Huang, 2004) and nitrogen
oxides increase the risk of respiratory infections
(Chauhan et al. 1998). Particulate matter can absorb
different compounds over its surface and affect the
nervous system (by adsorption of dioxins) (Thomke
et al. 1999), heavy metals can damage vital organs
like liver, kidney and also affect the nervous system.
Exposure to air pollution (especially dioxins and
heavy metals like lead) during pregnancy can affect
the growth of the fetus. It can affect the development
of central nervous system; can cause pre-term
delivery, low birth weight and even abortion (Schell
et al. 2006; Bellinger, 2005; Garza et al. 2006).
Methodology
The data was collected from 2 real time continuous
ambient air monitoring stations established by Delhi
Pollution Control Committee (Table 1). This data
was collected on 15 min average basis and is
averaged for 24 h. PM10 and PM2.5 were measured
using β-attenuation technique. Other parameters were
measured using The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) and Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB, 2011) standard procedures.
Table 2 shows the measurement techniques of
different pollutants.
Table 1. Monitoring Locations
Table 2. Measuring Techniques
Pollutant Measurement
Techniques
Instrument
Model
Instrument Make
Particulates
(PM
10
& PM
2.5
)
Beta Ray Attenuation BAM 1020 Met One, USA
SO
2
Pulsed fluorescence Serinus 50 Ecotech, Australia
NO
2
Chemiluminescence Serinus 44 Ecotech, Australia
CO
Non Dispersive
Infrared
Serinus 30 Ecotech, Australia
O
3
UV Absorption Serinus 10 Ecotech, Australia
Observations
In the urban area and the surrounding suburban area,
there are different levels of ambient air pollutants.
The study explains the variation of concentration of
particulate matter (<10 µm) at the two stations in
different seasons of the year (Fig. 2). The average of
daily average value observed in winter, summer and
monsoon at R.K. Puram was 434.1 µgm-3
, 375.2
µgm-3
and 320.7 µgm-3
respectively. The average of
daily average value observed in winter, summer and
monsoon at Mandir Marg was 365.9 µgm-3
, 292.7
µgm-3
and 154.3 µgm-3
respectively.
Concentration of Particulate Matter (<10µm)
0.00
100.00
200.00
300.00
400.00
500.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(µg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg Standard (100µg/m3)
Figure 2. Concentration of Particulate Matter
(<10µm) in 2012 during different seasons.
The variation of concentration of particulate matter
(<2.5 µm) at the two stations in different seasons of
the year is shown in Fig. 3. The average of daily
average value observed in winter, summer and
monsoon at R.K. Puram was 241.5 µgm-3
, 134.8
µgm-3
and 118.6 µgm-3
respectively. The average of
daily average value observed in winter, summer and
monsoon at Mandir Marg was 205.8 µg/m-3
, 115.2
µgm-3
and 83.2 µgm-3
respectively.
Concentration of Particulate Matter (<2.5µm)
0.00
50.00
100.00
150.00
200.00
250.00
300.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(µg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg Standard (60µg/m3)
Figure 3. Concentration of Particulate Matter (<2.5µm) in
2012 during different seasons.
Concentration variation in Nitrogen oxide NO2 at the
two stations in different seasons of the year is
explained in Fig. 4. The average of daily average
value observed in winter, summer and monsoon at
R.K. Puram was 119.5 µgm-3
, 87.5 µgm-3
and 39.6
µgm-3
respectively. The average of daily average
value observed in winter, summer and monsoon at
Sl. No. Locations Activities
1. Mandir Marg Residential, Commercial
3. R. K. Puram Residential
4. Seasonal Variation of Air Pollutants of Delhi and its Health Effects George et al.
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NeBIO I www.nebio.in I Vol. 4, No. 4, August 2013, 42-46 44
Mandir Marg was 92.5 µgm-3
, 55.5 µgm-3
and 50.6
µgm-3
respectively.
Concentration of Nitrogen dioxide
0.00
20.00
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
120.00
140.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(µg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg Standard (80µg/m3)
Figure 4. Concentration of Nitrogen dioxide in 2012
during different seasons.
The variation of concentration of Sulphur dioxide
(SO2) at the two stations in different seasons of the
year is shown in Fig. 5. The average of daily average
value observed in winter, summer and monsoon at
R.K. Puram was 21.9 µgm-3
, 14.8 µgm-3
and 10.3
µgm-3
respectively. The average of daily average
value observed in winter, summer and monsoon at
Mandir Marg was 23.1 µgm-3
, 18.6 µgm-3
and 9.1
µgm-3
respectively.
Concentration of Sulphur dioxide
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(µg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg
Figure 5. Concentration of Sulphur dioxide in 2012 during
different seasons
The variation in concentration of Ozone (O3) at the
two stations in different seasons of the year is
explained in Fig. 6. The average of daily average
value observed in winter, summer and monsoon at R.
K. Puram was 41.6 µgm-3
, 35.6 µgm-3
and 43.4 µgm-3
respectively. The average of daily average value
observed in winter, summer and monsoon at Mandir
Marg was 38.9 µgm-3
, 53.0 µgm-3
and 30.3 µgm-3
respectively.
Fig. 7 shows the variation of concentration of Carbon
monoxide at the two stations in different seasons of
the year. The average of daily average value observed
in winter, summer and monsoon at R. K. Puram was
2.5 mgm-3
, 1.6 mgm-3
and 1.6 mgm-3
respectively.
The average of daily average value observed in
winter, summer and monsoon at Mandir Marg was
2.0 mgm-3
, 1.2 mgm-3
and 1.3 mgm-3
respectively.
Concentration of Ozone
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(µg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg
Figure 6. Concentration of Ozone in 2012 during different
seasons.
Concentration of Carbon monoxide
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
Winter Summer Monsoon
Concentration(mg/m3)
R. K. Puram Mandir Marg
Figure 7. Concentration of carbon monoxide in 2012
during different seasons.
Discussion
As shown in the Fig. 2 the observed concentration of
particulate matter (<10 µm) is much higher than the
standard 100 µgm-3
for all the three seasons. But in
winters the concentration is even higher than that in
summer and monsoon.
Similar pattern is shown in the Figure 3 for the
concentration of particulate matter (<2.5 µm). The
concentration of particulate matter (<2.5 µm) is
found to be more than 4 times the standard value in
winters. In summers the higher value is attributed to
the high wind velocities which cause the settleable
particulate matter (PM10) to stay in suspension for
much longer period of time. As shown in the Figure
4, the observed concentration of nitrogen dioxide is
above the standard concentration in winters while in
summers and monsoon period it is below it. As
shown in the figures 5, 6 and 7 the observed
concentration of SO2 (standard 80 µg/m-3
), O3
(standard 80 µgm-3
) and carbon monoxide (standard
4.0 mgm-3
) respectively were less than the standard
concentration.
5. Seasonal Variation of Air Pollutants of Delhi and its Health Effects George et al.
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NeBIO I www.nebio.in I Vol. 4, No. 4, August 2013, 42-46 45
Figure 8. Wind Rose diagram at R. K. Puram during the study period in different seasons.
Figure 9. Wind Rose diagram at Mandir Marg during the study period in different seasons.
6. Seasonal Variation of Air Pollutants of Delhi and its Health Effects George et al.
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NeBIO I www.nebio.in I Vol. 4, No. 4, August 2013, 42-46 46
Figure 8 and 9, shows the wind rose diagram of two
monitoring stations during different seasons. Wind
rose diagram shows that during winters the wind
speed was very less hence the dispersion of pollutants
was not possible. As a result of it during the winters
there was accumulation of pollutants hence the higher
concentrations of pollutants were observed during the
winters.
The lower concentrations observed during the
monsoon season can be attributed to the rainfall. The
pollutants of the air can be washed down to ground
due to rainfall hence the lower values were observed
as compared to that in other seasons at both stations.
Concentration of Particulate Matter (<10 µm) and
Concentration of Particulate Matter (<2.5 µm)
exceeds the standard value for 1 h (100 µgm-3
and 60
µgm-3
respectively) in all the three seasons at both the
stations. Nitrogen dioxide exceeds the standard value
for 1 h (80 µgm-3
) in winter season at both stations
and at RK Puram in summer season. The reason for
this elevated level could be the high vehicular density
in Delhi. Mortality from all causes increases by
0.51% and from cardiopulmonary diseases by 0.68%
for every 10 µgm-3
increase of PM10 (Samet et al.
2000). Hospital emergency admissions for asthma,
bronchitis and pneumonia in older people has also
been associated with increase in PM10 (Ye et al.
2001). There are long term health effects associated
with nitrogen dioxide. The study of Southern
California Children showed that in children having
long term exposure of higher concentration of
nitrogen dioxide had lower lung function than the
other children (WHO, 2003). We can say that from
the observed values of Particulate Matter
concentration (<10 and <2.5 both) and nitrogen
dioxide, there is a potential health hazard which can
harm the future generation of our society. Hence
steps are required to mitigate the present pollution
levels.
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