Study of temporal variation in ambient air quality during Diwali festival in India

Abstract

The variation in air quality was assessed from the ambient concentrations of various air pollutants [total suspended particle (TSP), particulate matter < or =10 microm (PM(10)), SO(2), and NO(2)] for pre-Diwali, Diwali festival, post-Diwali, and foggy day (October, November, and December), Delhi (India), from 2002 to 2007. The extensive use of fireworks was found to be related to short-term variation in air quality. During the festival, TSP is almost of the same order as compared to the concentration at an industrial site in Delhi in all the years. However, the concentrations of PM(10), SO(2), and NO(2) increased two to six times during the Diwali period when compared to the data reported for an industrial site. Similar trend was observed when the concentrations of pollutants were compared with values obtained for a typical foggy day each year in December. The levels of these pollutants observed during Diwali were found to be higher due to adverse meteorological conditions, i.e., decrease in 24 h average mixing height, temperature, and wind speed. The trend analysis shows that TSP, PM(10), NO(2), and SO(2) concentration increased just before Diwali and reached to a maximum concentration on the day of the festival. The values gradually decreased after the festival. On Diwali day, 24-h values for TSP and PM(10) in all the years from 2002 to 2007 and for NO(2) in 2004 and 2007 were found to be higher than prescribed limits of National Ambient Air Quality Standards and exceptionally high (3.6 times) for PM(10) in 2007. These results indicate that fireworks during the Diwali festival affected the ambient air quality adversely due to emission and accumulation of TSP, PM(10), SO(2), and NO(2).

Effect of fireworks events on urban background trace metal aerosol concentrations: Is the cocktail worth the show?

“…Despite the lack of legal controls on PM emissions emanating from firework combustion, the severity of the impact of such events on urban background atmospheric chemistry provides reasonable cause for concern [18]. There is already abundant published evidence that short-lived fluctuations in pollutants can induce changes in both lung and heart function [8,[19][20][21][22][23].…”

Impact of fireworks on ambient air quality: a case study

“…Mandal et al (2012) indicated that there was a significant increase in the concentration of pollutants such as PM10 and SO 2 in the ambient air of Delhi during the day of Diwali 2012. Singh et al (2010) observed that the levels of different pollutants observed during Diwali were found to be higher due to adverse meteorological conditions, i.e., decrease in 24 h average mixing height, temperature, and wind speed.…”

Impact of Diwali Festival on Aerosol Optical Properties over an Urban City, Ahmedabad (India)

“…Various studies suggest exceptionally high level of pollution, much above the prescribed limit of National Ambient Air Quality standard levels in association with certain festivals and result in short term air pollution episodes. Impact of fireworks during festivals on short term perturbation in air pollution levels, especially in particulate matter, in relation to air quality and health problems have been studied by several researchers (Clark, 1997;Ravindra et al, 2003;Kulshrestha et al, 2004;Barman et al, 2008;Godri et al, 2010;Moreno et al, 2010;Thakur et al, 2010;Singh et al, 2010;Tiwari et al, 2012;Chatterjee et al, 2013). Recent investigation by Sahu and Kota (2017) found that PM 2.5 is the dominant pollutant over New Delhi, and they suggested that mortality over New Delhi can be decreased by 6.2 and 6.5% by meeting the PM 2.5 Indian standards and WHO set limits, respectively.…”