Air Quality in Terms of Airborne Particulate Matters PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> at Analakely in Antananarivo City-Madagascar

Abstract

There are many pollutants that are major factors in disease in humans. Among them, Airborne Particulate Matter, particles of variable but very small diameter, penetrate the respiratory system via inhalation, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Air quality index (AQI) is a quantitative tool through which air pollution data can be reported, providing information on how clean or polluted the air is. This AQI focuses on health effects people may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. The present study was carried out to determine the concentrations of ambient air quality in terms of airborne particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter lower than 10 mm (PM₁₀) in the aerosol collected at Analakely along the busy roads of Antananarivo city (Madagascar). Evaluation of the concentrations of ambient PM₁₀ were determined on the basis of PM₁₀ size fractions at the selected site. The air quality is measured with the Air Quality Index. The result shows that Air Quality Indices in the study area vary from 22.28 to 138.39 for PM_2.5 and from 22.53 to 105.69 for PM₁₀. For PM_2.5, 27% of the collected samples are categorized as good quality, 67% as moderate quality and 6% as unhealthy quality for sensitive people. For the PM₁₀ parameter, 44% are of good quality, 54% of moderate quality and only 2% of unhealthy quality for sensitive people. For the particulate matters, all results are compared to the World Health Organization and United States Environmental Protection Agency air quality guidelines. Almost their concentrations are exceeding these guidelines. Therefore, it is important to constantly monitor the air quality in this site. Moreover, such a report allows the authorities to project how reducing particulate air pollution could benefit the health of the population.