Respiratory health concerns in children at some strategic locations from high PM levels during crop residue burning episodes

Abstract

Particulate Matter (PM) levels in the ambient air of three urban sites of strategic importance in Punjab (second largest agricultural state of India) were monitored from September 2013 to June 2014 covering two seasons of crop residue burning episodes of rice and wheat, respectively. During both crop periods, the levels varied from 71 to 167 μgm−3(PM10) and 43–107 μgm−3 (PM2.5), which were observed to be much beyond the permissible limits of 100 μgm−3 for PM10 and 60 μgm−3 for PM2.5 set by state pollution control agencies. Simultaneously, Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) parameters of children (age group 10–16 years) residing at these sites were monitored. PFT parameters like Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) were monitored on 50 healthy subjects at each site. The results indicated an alarming fall in FVC (5%–7%) and in PEF (4%–6%) parameters during the crop residue burning period’s .The decrement was almost same for all age groups of children. The adverse effect was more on female subjects than male subjects. The impact of particulate matter pollution was more prominent in industrially important site (7%, SIS) as compared to historically (3%, HIS) and commercially (4%, CAS) important sites.