Hotspot Detection, Traffic Pollution and Asthma Incidence in and around Kolkata, India

Abstract

Abstract Urban air quality in megacities like Kolkata is found to be critical. An analysis of ambient air quality in Kolkata is prepared where the presence of NO2, PM10 pollutants’ annual average concentration and temporal fluctuation are studied. Out of a total of 17 ambient air quality monitoring stations operating in Kolkata, five fall under the critical category, in addition the remaining 12 locations fall under the high category of NO2 concentration. The causes towards the high concentration of pollutants in the form of NO2 and PM10 was identified as vehicular emission (51.4%), followed by industrial sources (24.5%) and dust particles (21.1%). There was evidence of an impact of pollution on a health assessment through a structured questionnaire at Allergy and Asthma Research Centre, Kolkata aa well as Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata outdoor patient dispensaries among 500 participants.It show that respondents with respiratory diseases (85.1%) have outnumbered waterborne diseases (14.9%). Although the pollution level was critical, only 49.3% of the respondents have felt that outdoor (air) pollution has affected their health. Keywords Air quality; Hot spot; Kolkata; Respiratory health