Association between ambient air pollution and increased risk of respiratory diseases in Vellore and Ranipet, Tamil
Radha Saraswathy1, Aswathi Pootheri2, Ponnuraja Chinnaiyan3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, 120TT Biomedical Genetics Research Lab (BMGRL), Vellore, India.
Abstract:
Numerous studies have shown a link between short and long-term exposure to air pollution and a wide range of illnesses. Although the etiology of these illnesses has been identified, modifiable risk factors remain unclear. Furthermore, exposure to environmental toxins does not necessarily result in illness for all individuals. However, the global incidence of diseases linked to air pollution continues to rise, driven by proximity to industrial areas and increasing traffic emissions. This study analyzed air quality data from two monitoring stations: one in an industrial area Ranipet and the other in a high-traffic zone Vellore in India. The study examines the incidence of respiratory diseases, total of 3549 patients were screened and introduces a novel approach revealing the statistical behavior of air concentrations for priority pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NOx, SO2, CO, O3, NH3 and overall AQI value of Tamil Nadu, India.Both stations observed high ambient air pollutants pollutant concentrations from January 2020 to January 2024. Among the monitored pollutants, PM10 and PM2.5 exhibited the highest concentrations across both monitoring sites. At the Vellore station, PM10 66.4 μg/m3 and PM2.5 34.4 μg/m3 with a corresponding AQI of 69.4. In contrast, the Ranipet station recorded PM10 at 37.3 μg/m3 and PM2.5 at 30.3 μg/m3 with an AQI of 47.9. The correlation matrix analysis showed significant correlations. The results prove that the atmospheric pollutants are influencing each other. The spatial distribution analysis of respiratory illnesses was found to be predominantly concentrated in urbanized and industrialized areas, indicating a strong correlation between pollution levels and respiratory diseases. A significant increase in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations was observed, along with a higher prevalence of respiratory diseases in the study regions. These findings indicate that prolonged exposure to elevated levels of ambient air pollutants may increase the risk of developing respiratory illnesses, particularly in urban and industrial areas with poor air quality. These findings underscore the need for improved air quality management.
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