Comparative Study for Assessing the Status of Air Quality Before and After Lockdown for Meerut - Engineering Assignment Help

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ABSTRACT: Air Quality Index is the simplest and widely used measure of overall air pollution of a region. Air Quality Assessment can be done with the help of Air Quality Index Parameter. Essentially it is used for assessing the air pollution hot spots in the region for delineating management and concrete actions. Different Methodology are adopted to assess the Quality of air for study area by taking into consideration of four pollutants synergistic effects which are PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2. The average concentration recorded for PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 was recorded for six consecutive months before and after the lockdown period i.e., from November till April. Different AQI were estimated for various months and varying results were observed ranging from good to unacceptable for the same set of data. The AQIs were calculated according to CPCB break point concentration. The findings of this study will provide detailed information of air pollution and AQI status before and after lockdown period ranging from good to severe.

1. INTRODUCTION: Air Pollution consists of varieties of mixture such as particles, gases, aerosols and water vapor originated from human development and other natural and anthropogenic activities. Its close relation to human development, complex structure containing infinite proportions of particles and gaseous matrix makes it more challenging towards its management. Air pollution management lie at the edge of science and public policy. It is then suitable to adopt proper methods for consensus building to ensure clear and repeatable decisions. In this paper, different method for estimating the Air Quality Index is evaluated as a tool for assessing the impact of air pollution with a case study. Air Quality Index (AQI) is such an indicator tool which is widely used worldwide and in India since last 2-3 decades. Essentially it is used for assessing the air pollution hot spots in the region for delineating management and concrete actions. The earlier version was mostly based on exceedance to the compliances (health based) set for a country’s ambient air for a time period. These can further be classified as AQIs using various mean values viz., geometric, arithmetic mean, weighted average, logarithmic mean and break point concentration. Air Quality Index is the simplest and widely used measure of overall air pollution of a region. More recently the breakpoint concentration method of measurement of AQI was proposed by CPCB which is for individual pollutants AQI estimation followed by max of these as synergistic level of AQI which may be used for decision making. USEPA and CHINA adopted concept of break point concentration level since last decade for their development. The pollutant level with highest AQI value determines the overall AQI for that hour. The four pollutants measured for the AQI are good indicators of daily air quality, but not only air pollutants which may cause health effects, such as air toxics pollutants. Additionally, the AQI does not account for temperature or pollen levels, which may increase sensitivity to air pollutants.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The real time Continuous air pollution monitoring is undertaken for Meerut – UPPCB by National Air Quality Index of Central pollution control board analyzer during Nov 2019 to April 2020 taking reference as PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2. https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI_India/

2.1 Study Area: Meerut (28.98°N, 77.70°E) is a Metropolitan City of Uttar Pradesh. The district stretches to almost 183sq km. Meerut is the largest city in NCR after Delhi. Meerut lies between the plains of the Ganges and those of the Yamuna. The station in consideration during measuring the pollutant level are station 1. Ganga Nagar, Meerut – UPPCB and station 2. Pallavpuram Phase 2, Meerut - UPPCB.

2.2 METHODOLOGY: To understand the temporal variation and episodic rise of the air pollution in the study region, real time Continuous air pollution monitoring is undertaken for Meerut – UPPCB by National Air Quality Index of Central pollution control board analyzer during Nov 2019 to April 2020 with reference to PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2. Every hour, a small C14 (Carbon -14 or Krypton 85) element emits a constant source of high-energy electrons (known as beta rays) through a spot of clean filter tape. UV fluorescence method is used for SO2 monitoring. The UV fluorescence method is based on the fluorescence emission of light by SO2 molecules excited by UV radiation. Chemiluminescence Analyzer is used for measurement of oxides of nitrogen in air (NO2). The calibration is undertaken by traceable standard reference gas method.

2.2.1 Air Quality Index (AQI): Now a day, it is important to the society to look for Awareness of daily levels of air pollution. AQI is a tool which is used to report the overall air quality status and trends based on a specific standard. In India we are using CPCB Standard for calculating air quality index or environment pollution index. This index gives an idea about the environmental status as air quality. And also tells the general public to understand how clean or pollute air is brea the daily.
Overall, this index can be used to give meaningful evaluation of air pollution to the common man. It also helps to identify the air pollution control policies or control equipment can reduce level of dominating pollutant. AQI is representing the cumulative effect of all the pollutant to show overall air quality status in better way. The AQI of specific pollutant is derived mainly from the physical measurement of pollutant like PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2 etc. In the present study, four methods are adopted for the calculation of ambient air quality index.

Method 1: -
Air quality Index (AQI) is premeditated based on the arithmetic mean of the ratio of concentration of pollutants to the standard value of that pollutant such as PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2. The average is then multiplied by 100 to get the AQI index. AQI was then compared with rating scale (Kaushik et al., 2006). For specific pollutant AQI was then calculated by these given formulae:
AQI = [C/CS] *100
Were
C = the practical value of the air quality parameters pollutant (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2)
Cs = CPCB standards for Residential Area (CPCB, 2009)
AQI = Air Quality Index

Method 2: -
In the process of AQI calculation geometric mean of the ratio of concentration of pollutants to the standard value of that pollutant such as PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2. AQI was then compared with rating scale (Ravikumar et. al., 2014)

Method 3: -
Air Quality Index being derived for combining qualitative events and ideas of the environment. The individual air quality index here is derived from the below equation:
AQI=[W*C/CS]
Were
W = Weighted Pollutant
C = Practical value of the air quality parameters pollutant (PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2)
Cs = CPCB standards for residential Area (CPCB, 2009)
AQI = Air Quality Index
 

Method 4: -
Air Quality Index is determined based on amount of pollutants to acquire break point concentration. (USEPA 2006, CPCB 2014) The individual air quality index for a given pollutant concentration (Cs) as built on linear segmented principle is calculated by:

IP = [{( IHI - ILO ) / (BHI – BLO )}*(CP – BLO )] + ILO
Here:
BHI = Breakpoint concentration greater or equal to assumed Concentration
BLO = Breakpoint concentration smaller or equal to assumed Concentration
IHI = AQI value equivalent to BHI
ILO = AQI value equivalent to BLO
Lastly:
AQI = Max (Ip) (where p=1, 2, 3…n; denotes n pollutants range)

3. RESULT:
Data gained from monitoring of ambient air of study area is used to calculate the air quality index (air pollution index) for perilous parameter. Different AQI were assessed for various months and varying results were observed ranging from good to unacceptable for the set of data. This may be due to concealing effect of the values used in the formulas. The statistical theory behind these AQI makes it more likely to to variations viz. the use of means from simple arithmetic to logarithmic and weighted averages to use of breakpoint concentration as basis of estimation. As reported in USEPA, CPCB, 2014, the breakpoint concentration based AQI is more robust and can be used for decision making. Accordingly, the AQI values are calculated based on Break Point concentration for 24 hourly averages for PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 concentrations and are categorized as Good to Poor during the study period of sites.

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