ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

PROJECT REPORT

AIR POLLUTION MONITORING STATIONS,

A CASE STUDY OF DELHI

PRINTING DATE: 26-4-2017

BACHELOR IN TECHNOLOGY [COMPUTER

SCIENCE]
SHAHEED SUKHDEV COLLEGE OF
BUSINESS STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
2017

MADE BY-
AMBIKA SHARMA-7506
B.TECH 4B
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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ms. Ambika Sharma, a student of BTECH 4th year, VIII Semester,
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT of SHAHEED SUKHDEV COLLEGE OF
BUSINESS STUDIES, DELHI UNIVERSITY has
completed her project titled

AIR POLLUTION MONITORING STATIONS

A CASE STUDY OF DELHI

She has submitted the project report for the partial fulfilment of the
curriculum of the
Degree. This report has not been submitted to any other University for
the purpose of any
other degree/diploma.

SIGNATURE:

Dr. Chnadravir Narayan

[Project Mentor]

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to acknowledge and give my sincere regards to Dr. CHANDRAVIR NARAYAN
(Project Mentor) for their tremendous help and keen interest towards the report and key
feedback as well as providing necessary information regarding the project & their support in
completing the project.

AMBIKA SHARMA
(7506)

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 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Project deals with assembling a comprehensive report on the importance of

unregulated and unaccounted primary pollution sources (those that emit pollution directly
into the air) and the air pollution monitoring stations in and around Delhi that keep a check
on these sources. In addition, the research discusses the challenges associated with
developing effective air pollution control strategies. This year Delhi has been ranked fifth
out of the 32 megacities in the world in terms of population (approximately 26 million).

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 1.2 OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the research are divided into two categories which are the general
and specific objectives.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

To carry out a research on the air pollution problem in the city of

Delhi by identifying major air pollution sources and their
contributions to ambient air pollution levels through various studies
conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

To assess the impact of air pollution on the population of Delhi from

the findings of a report via the respirable dust sampler.
To investigate the underlying mechanism of air pollution-related
health impairments at the cellular and subcellular levels for better
understanding and management of the problem.

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 2. STUDY AREA

2.1 HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

(a) Findings

Air pollution is recognized as a major threat to human health.

The United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that
globally 1.1 billion people breathe unhealthy air (UNEP, 2002).
Epidemiological studies have shown that concentrations of ambient
air particles are associated with a wide range of effects on human
health, especially on the cardio-respiratory system.

(b)A perspective of the world

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that urban air
pollution is responsible for approximately 800,000 deaths and 4.6
million lost life-years each year around the globe (WHO, 2002).
The burden of ill-health is not equally distributed as approximately
two-thirds of the deaths and lost life-years occur in developing
countries of Asia.
The constituents of air pollution in different parts of the world are
largely similar, but the magnitude of exposure, general health status
of the people, nutritional and other disparities and the level of
health care facilities are different across the globe. These inherent
differences make extrapolation of findings from developed to
developing countries questionable.

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 2.2 URBANIZATION AND AIR
POLLUTION IN INDIA
Air pollution in Asian cities is closely tied to levels and trends in economic
and social development. Besides, rapidly increasing industrialization,
urbanization, population growth and demand for transportation along
with meteorologic conditions influence air pollution in many Indian cities.
In recent time, India is experiencing a rapid growth and economic
development reflected by industrialization, urbanization, rise in income
and motor vehicle use. Currently about two-third of Indians live in rural
areas. But the pattern is changing rapidly as more people are moving to
the cities in search of livelihood.

2.2.1 VEHICULAR SOURCES OF URBAN AIR

POLLUTION
In most cities, the major source of combustion is fuel use, which tends to
increase along with population size and economic activity. In the last
three decades, the number of motorized vehicles in India has increased

29-times, from 1.9 million in 1971 to 55.0 million in 2001 (Badami, 2005; refer
to figure).
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2.2.2 Particulate pollutants: the major toxic component of urban air

Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of suspended solid and

liquid particle in semi equilibrium with surrounding gases.
The particle constituents vary greatly in size, composition,
concentration, depending on origin and age. PM may be classified as
primary (particles emitted directly by emission sources) and
secondary (particles formed through the atmospheric reaction of
gases).

There are three main size categories for PM measured in urban air:
(a) PM10 They consist of PM with a diameter upto 10 m.
However, for toxicity studies, the most important particles are those
having a diameter of less than 10 m (PM10) because they are
respirable whereas the larger particles are not. PM10 deposit
relatively quickly with a lifetime of less than 2 days, and exposure
may lead to adverse responses in the lungs triggering an array of
cardio-pulmonary problems

(b) Accumulation mode or fine particles (PM2.5) They consist of

PM with a diameter upto 2.5 m. Airborne particles smaller than 2.5
m (PM2.5) are usually called fine particles. These particles may
penetrate deep inside the airways and are more strongly linked to
adverse health effects

(c) Nuclei mode or ultra fine particles (UFP) The particles in this
category are smaller than 0.1 m. They are also known as ultrafine
particle (UFP). UFP are present in great number in polluted urban air.

Fate of the particles

Following inhalation, the size of the particles determines where they
are likely to deposit in the respiratory tract. Particles larger than 10
micrometer are mainly deposited in the nose and throat and are less
likely to affect the health beyond the point of deposition. PM2.5 and
UFPs are able to penetrate into the airways all the way to the terminal
alveoli. Smaller particles are present in larger numbers and have more
total surface area and bioavailability, eliciting greater biological effect.
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 2.3 AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

National Standard National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of

India has recommended that the annual average concentration of
respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) with an aerodynamic
diameter of less than 10 micrometer (PM10) in ambient air of residential
areas should be within 60g/m3 , while the 24-hr average should be
within 120 g/m3

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 3. DELHI, THE CAPITAL OF INDIA

3.1 Sources of air pollution in Delhi

Vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, household activities and soil
resuspension are the major source of air pollution in Delhi

(a) Vehicular pollution: motor vehicles in Delhi are responsible

for a substantial part of Delhis air pollution. Delhi alone with only a
little over 1% of Indias population account for about 8% of the
national motor vehicles. The motor vehicle fleet presently stands at
4.2 million, of these 2.7 million are two wheelers .

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(b) Industrial source of air pollution in Delhi
The share of industries as source of air pollution is rapidly
declining in Delhi for the past thirty years. For example, during
1970-71, industrial pollution was the biggest contributor (56%) to
citys air pollution load. In contrast, only 20% of Delhis air
pollution is now generated by the industries, mainly the three
coal-based thermal power plants at Indraprastha, Badarpur and
Rajghat.

(c) Domestic source

Like the industries, the contribution of household sector to citys
air pollution is steadily declining. Now a days only 8% of Delhis
air pollution is contributed by household sources, compared with
21% in 1970-71 and 18% in 1980-81. Pollution from household
sources is mainly due to the use of coal, kerosene and
unprocessed solid biomass like firewood, cow dung and
agricultural refuse like hay, husk, dried leaves
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 3.2 Air pollution and respiratory system

Primary target of the pollutants: the lung and the airways

Since airborne pollutant generally enters the body through

inhalation, lung and the airways are the primary target organs.
The airways of the lung are represented by the trachea (windpipe),
and beyond it are bronchi (with cartilage cover) and bronchioles
(without cartilage). The bronchioles lead to air spaces called alveoli
which have an average diameter of 200 micrometer each.
A recent study has demonstrated that there are approximately 480
million alveoli in both lobes of an adult human lung, and men have
more alveoli and larger lung volume than women. The mean size of
a single alveolus is 4.2x106 m3 . Alveoli make up approximately
64% of the lung space.
Human lungs have a total surface area of 1,400 m2 , and everyday
we inhale approximately 15 m3 of air (i.e.15,000 litres).
The weight of this inahled air is greater than the food we consume
and the water we drink in a day.
The lung volume and breathing frequencies of healthy adults at rest
are 400-500 ml and 15-17 breaths per minute respectively.
Recent study has documented that a constant number of
respiratory units is maintained from childhood to adulthood while
both the smallest bronchioles and alveoli expand in size to produce
the increased lung volume with increased age and height.
Air pollution exposure causes deposition of particulates in airways
The particulates mediate generation of reactive oxygen species
(ROS) by airway macrophages
ROS inflicts injury to airway and alveolar epithelial cells

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4. MATERIALS AND METHODS

4.1 Respirable Dust Sampler

The Respirable Dust Sampler is meant for monitoring the Total Suspended Particles (TSP)
in ambient air conditions. It also simultaneously used for sampling the pollutant gases like
SO2, NOX, CL2 H2S, and CS2. These gases are analyzed to determine the concentration of
specific pollutant.

Working : This high volume sampler separates the particles larger than 10 microns that are
present in air stream. These coarse particles are separated before filtering the air on 0.5
micron size filter and allows the measurement of TSP and Respirable fraction of the
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM). The sampler draws the air with the help of high flow
rate blower at a nominal flow rate of 1. 4 cubic meters per minute.

The air passes through the cyclone inside the sampler, the coarse and non-respirable dust is
separated from the air stream using the centrifugal force and is collected inside a sampling
bottle. This dust size varies from 10 to 100 microns. The fine dust with a diameter of less
than 10 microns will pass through the filter paper.

Features

Particle Collection : The sampler serves as particle collector that collects the particles
less than 10 microns on filter paper and bigger than 10 microns in a sampling bottle
with the helps of a cyclone separator.
Bower Motor : The sampler features bower motor instead of high speed blower. This
is a brushless and noiseless motor with no carbon brushes.
Programmable Timer & Relay : The sampler possess programmable relay that helps
in setting ON time and protects the motor in case of high or low voltage conditions.

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4.2 High Volume Air Sampler

Principle of Operation:

Suspended particles in the air are sampled at 40 ACFM through

the circumferential inlet of the PM10 Size Selective Inlet.
The symmetrical design insures wind-direction insensitivity,
and the Inlet design and internal configuration makes the
collection efficiency independent of wind speed from 0 to 36
kilometers per hour.
The particles are then accelerated through multiple circular
Impactor nozzles. By virtue of their larger momentum, particles
greater than the 10 micron impactor cut-point impact onto the
greased impaction surface.
The PM-10 particles smaller than 10 microns are carried
vertically upward by the air flow and down multiple vent tubes
to the 8-inch x 10-inch quartz fiber filter (Staplex No. TFAQ810),
where they are collected.
The large particles settle out in the impaction chamber on the
collection shim and are removed/cleaned during prescribed
maintenance periods.
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 5. Ambient Air Quality
Below are the results of a sampling conducted by CPCB in different
regions of Delhi:

5.1 Delhi Technical University, Rohini (RHN)

The sampling period for winter was November 03- 23, 2013 and for
summer it was April 04- 23, 2014.
Average levels for winter and summer season were 438 and 323
g/m3 (for PM2.5) and 622 and 534 g/m3 (for PM10) respectively;
nearly six times higher than national standards. The air quality
standards for both PM10 and PM2.5 are exceeded. Although winter
conditions provide low dispersion and high concentrations, the
levels of PM10 and PM2.5 are alarmingly high. It is to be noted that
on Diwali day (November 24 3, 2013), the concentration 655 (for
PM2.5) and 894 (for PM10) in g/m3 were indeed extremely high.
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5.2 Envrirotech, Okhla (OKH):

The sampling period for winter was November 03 - 23, 2013 and
April 04 - 24, 2014 for the summer Season.
The air quality standards for both PM10 and PM2.5 are exceeded.
Although winter conditions provide low dispersion and high
concentrations, the levels of PM10 and PM2.5 even in summer are
alarmingly high. It is to be noted that the Diwali day (November 3,
2013) shows the concentration 882 (for PM2.5) and 1183 (for PM10)
g/m3 which is about twice of normal concentration.
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6. CONCLUSION
6.1 FINDINGS
The findings according to the study conducted by CPCB are as
follows:

Respiratory Symptoms
 (a) 33.2% residents of Delhi had one or more respiratory
symptoms compared to 19.6% of control subjects indicating
that respiratory symptoms were 1.7-times more prevalent in
Delhi. Upper Respiratory Symptoms include sinusitis, runny or
stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and common cold with fever.

(b) Lower Respiratory Symptoms include Recurrent dry cough,

cough with phlegm (wet cough), wheeze, breathlessness on
exertion and chest discomfort. Residents of Delhi had 1.5-times
greater prevalence of Upper Respiratory Symptoms. The
prevalence of Lower Respiratory Symptoms was 1.8-times higher
among the residents of Delhi. RSPM level was positively
associated with LRS.

Lung function

(a) Lung function was reduced in 40.3% individuals of Delhi

compared with 20.1% in control group.

(b) Lung function reduction was more prevalent in women than

in men both in rural and urban settings.

(c) Socio-economic status (SES) of the people had significant

influence on their lung function. People from lower SES had
greater prevalence of lung function deficits.

(d) Besides gender, smoking habit, Body mass index and Socio
economic status, particulate air pollution was positively
associated with lung function deficits.

(e) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was detected

in 3.9% residents of Delhi against 0.8% of controls.

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6.2 ACTION PLAN

The study recommends that the following control options for
improving the air quality, these must be implemented in a
progressive manner.

Stop use of Coal in hotels/restaurants

LPG to all
Stop MSW burning: Improve collection and disposal (landfill
and waste to energy plants)
Construction and demolition: Vertically cover the construction
area with fine screens, Handling and Storage of Raw Material
(completely cover the material), Water spray and wind breaker
and store the waste inside premises xvii with proper cover. At
the time of on-road movement of construction material, it
should be fully covered.
Concrete batching: water spray, wind breaker, bag filter at
silos, enclosures, hoods, curtains, telescopic chutes, cover
transfer points and conveyer belts
Road Dust : Vacuum Sweeping of major roads (Four Times a
Month), Carpeting of shoulders, Mechanical sweeping with
water wash
Soil Dust: plant small shrubs, perennial forages, grass covers
Vehicles:
Retro Fitment of Diesel Particulate Filter
Implementation of BS VI for all diesel vehicles including
heavy duty vehicles (non-CNG buses and trucks) and LCVs
(non-CNG)
Inspection/ Maintenance of Vehicles
Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel

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 7. SUMMARY

Air pollution from road transport has become an almost

inescapable part of urban life throughout the world. Studies
have revealed that exposures to high level of air pollution has
adverse effects on human health like premature deaths due to
diseases of the heart and lungs, aggravates preexisting cardio-
pulmonary diseases, mediates development of respiratory and
cardiac problems, exacerbates asthma attacks, causes
suppression of bodys immune defense to fight against
infections, inflicts damage to the DNA that may lead to several
diseases including cancer, affects childs growth and
development which frequently cause reduced birth weight and
congenital defects, and influences the activity of the brain
which often manifests itself by neurobehavioral changes such
as depression, anxiety and impaired memory. In essence, living
in an environment of high air pollution for long can affect a
persons physical and mental health.
In summary, high level of air pollution in Delhi was associated
with higher incidence of upper and lower respiratory symptoms;
greater prevalence of lung function decrement and very high
alveolar macrophage count suggesting higher particle load.
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8. BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://cpcb.nic.in/upload/NewItems/NewItem_161_Adult.pdf

http://delhi.gov.in/DoIT/Environment/PDFs/Final_Report.pdf

https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/why-delhi-is-the-
perfect-air-pollution-case-study-wcz/

http://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/MRay_0.pdf
 9. END NOTE
I would like to thank my Teacher Dr. Chandravir Narayan for his immense help
throughout the course of the project & for teaching us with impeccable dedication all the
theories required for the project.

THE END
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