Ambient air quality monitoring and assessment of an industrial area as a tool for sustainable environmental management

Abstract

Different ambient air pollutants like PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 were studied for three years with respect to seasons starting from Mar’2017 to Feb’2020 at eight different monitoring locations (ML). It has been revealed from the study that, the levels of air pollution are worsening year by year. It is due to increased transportation of raw materials and finished products from industries and mining activities near to the study area. During the study period 2020–21, the maximum concentrations of PM10 was observed in winter season at ML-5, ML-3 i.e. 216.5 μg/m3, 212.3 μg/m3 and PM2.5 at ML-3, ML-2 i.e. 111.8 μg/m3, 100.4 μg/m3 respectively followed by summer season which exceeding the standard norms. However, it was observed from the study that, in general during all the three seasons and years the concentrations of SO2 & NO2 and found well within the norms. Wind rose graph during October to December 2019 shows the wind direction (predominant) was NW to SE and the wind class frequency distribution graph shows that the air is 26.5 % calm. Similarly the wind rose and wind class distribution pattern during March- May 2019 shows that the wind direction (predominant) was SW to NE and the wind class frequency distribution graph shows that the air is 30.2 % calm.