Impact of fireworks on ambient air quality: a case study

Abstract

Fireworks activity causes short-term air pollution. The festival of Diwali is celebrated with firecrackers in India during October/November every year. The ambient air quality was assessed in Vadodara city, Gujarat state of India during Diwali festival for the consecutive years 2009, 2010, and 2011. During the festival day, the average concentration of PM10 was increased 35 times compared with a normal day before Diwali. Similarly, concentration of SO 2 has increased 23 times and NOx has increased 3 times on the festival day. The diurnal pattern of the above pollutants showed an increase in the night. Air quality index calculated for 24 h average during Diwali 2009 in two stations exceeded a value of 125 indicating severe air pollution in Vadodara city. It is also confirmed that the yearly pollution load is getting increased in Vadodara city as the air quality index value has a gradual increase from 2009 to 2011. The good correlation coefficient between different pollutants confirmed the firework as the prime source of pollution. Based on PM10 concentration, the highest mortality rate was found to be 30.4 %. The shortterm high accumulation of PM10 is a matter of serious concern for city dwellers as it can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause many respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Temporal Changes in Air Quality during a Festival Season in Kannur, India

“…This index was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to estimate the levels of pollution in the ambient atmosphere. Accordingly, the observed concentrations of the O 3 , NO 2 , and PM 10 were converted into an air quality index using the standard value and rating scale (up to 25: clean air, 26-50: light air pollution, 51-75: moderate air pollution, 76-100: heavy air pollution, and above 100: severe air pollution) given by Nasir and Brahmaiah [95]. Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts.…”

Air quality during and after festivals: Aerosol concentrations, composition and health effects

“…Use of fireworks and bonfires to mark cultural or national celebrations can be an important short-term anthropogenic source of air pollutants with significant impacts on local air quality (Galea and Powles, 2010;Pathak et al, 2013). Firework and bonfire events have previously been connected to poor visibility and air quality around the globe, with corresponding health concerns (Becker et al, 2000;Kong et al, 2015a;Kulshrestha et al, 2004;Nasir and Brahmaiah, 2015;Pathak et al, 2013;Pope et al, 2016;Singh et al, 2015;Singh et al, 2005;Van Kamp et al, 2006;Witsaman et al, 2006;Yerramsetti et al, 2013 these pollutants can have direct impacts on human health (Hamad et al, 2016;Kulshrestha et al, 2004;Ravindra et al, 2003;Seidel and Birnbaum, 2015). PM and gaseous pollutants emitted during such events can scatter and absorb light radiation and contribute to light extinction, thus influencing visibility (Appel et al, 1985;Singh et al, 2017;Singh and Dey, 2012).…”

Effects of fireworks ancient celebrations on atmospheric concentration of particulate matter in Iran

“…This increase in particles may remain in the atmosphere for a long time. While fever, cough, and dyspnea are often reported initially as acute affects, pollution due to fireworks causes chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease, pulmonary effects, premature death, and cancer (Barman, Singh, Negi, & Bhargava, 2008;Nasir & Brahmaiah, 2015;Sharma, Nayak, & Lal, 2015). Also, chemically resolved size distributions and chemical composition of fine aerosol particles were measured during the New Year's 2005 fireworks in Central Germany (Drewnick, Hings, Curtius, Eerdekens, & Williams, 2006).…”