Long term trend analysis and Spatio-temporal variation of air pollutants over Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Air pollution poses a significant challenge for developing countries like India, particularly in cities where industrial growth and urban development have led to increased levels of air pollutants. Due to limited monitoring resources and a focus on specific variables, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding air quality in Indian urban areas. This study aims to explore the spatial and temporal variations in air pollutant concentrations and identify long-term trends over a seven-year period (2016-2022) in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Data for PM10, SO2, and NO2 were collected from 78 ambient air quality monitoring stations. The study investigates how these pollutants behave in terms of their distribution on different temporal scales (seasonal, yearly) as well as across various locations. The findings reveal that the concentration of PM10 consistently exceeds national and international air quality standards. Using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) technique, air pollutant distribution maps were created to identify specific hotspots. Additionally, the Mann-Kendall Test was applied to analyze trends within the available data. This research can serve as valuable information for local government authorities to formulate effective strategies for mitigating air pollution in the region.