Local incomplete combustion emissions define the PM2.5 oxidative potential in Northern India.
Deepika Bhattu1,2, Sachchida Nand Tripathi3,4, Himadri Sekhar Bhowmik5
1Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland. dbhattu@iitj.ac.in.
Nature Communications
|April 25, 2024
Summary
Particulate matter
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) significantly impacts health.
- Emission sources and regional characteristics of PM-OP in India remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the geographical origin and sources of PM and its OP.
- To investigate PM sources and OP across five sites in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, including Delhi.
Main Methods:
- Field measurements of PM composition and oxidative potential.
- Source apportionment analysis using chemical markers and geographical origin tracing.
Main Results:
- High PM concentrations are widespread, but local sources dominate pollution.
- Key sources include traffic exhaust, residential heating, and fossil fuel oxidation (ammonium chloride, organic aerosols) within Delhi.
- Biomass burning contributes secondary organic aerosols outside Delhi.
- Oxidative potential is primarily driven by organic aerosols from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels.
Conclusions:
- Local emission sources, particularly inefficient combustion, are critical drivers of PM-OP in northern India.
- Targeting these local combustion processes offers an effective strategy for mitigating PM-related health risks.
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