Atmospheric Pollutants and Its Transport Mechanisms in Soil Along the Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, and Its Surroundings: A Brief Note

Abstract

The Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, and its surroundings (HTPs) have long been identified to be critical in regulating the Asian monsoon climate and hydrological cycle. Moreover, the transport of pollutants from highly urbanized areas could be a serious threat to the soil quality in the pristine regions of the HTP regions. This work focuses on the study of the effect of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as organic pollutants and major ions and trace elements as inorganic pollutants in the HTPs. These pollutants get deposited in the Himalayan soils due to cold climatic conditions and atmospheric circulation mechanisms. Semi-volatile organic pollutants such as organ chlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), CPs, and toxic trace metals can be transported from the densely populated and intensely agricultural activities via monsoon and then cold-trapped by the mountain soil of the HTP region. The OCP concentrations increase with increasing altitude, but ionic and elemental concentrations decrease with increasing altitude in the HTP and its surroundings. Organic and inorganic pollutants in air could be deposited into the surface of soil which further leads to health hazard. The studies revealed that cold temp, low Ph, and meteorological factors such as rainfall and wind patterns of mountain favor the deposition of organic pollutants (PAH, OCP, PCB) in soil.