IIT Jodhpur Publishes Study on Air Pollution and Health Effects in Northern India

The study provides valuable insights for evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at safeguarding public health and the environment.

Air pollution, a critical global health challenge, has been further elucidated by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur. Published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, this pioneering study by Dr. Deepika Bhattu and her team identifies the sources and composition of particulate matter (PM) in Northern India, emphasizing the need to address local inefficient combustion processes to mitigate health impacts.

Contrary to the belief that reducing overall PM mass will alleviate health impacts, the study underscores the importance of targeting specific sources such as biomass and fossil fuel burning, including traffic exhaust. Dr. Bhattu, the study's lead author, highlights the necessity for Indian policymakers to consider three critical scientific questions to devise effective mitigation strategies under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):

Source Identification and Contribution: The study offers unprecedented clarity on the local and regional origins of fine PM (PM2.5).Emission and Formation Distinction: It makes a comprehensive distinction between directly emitted PM and those formed in the atmosphere over a large spatial and temporal scale.

Oxidative Potential and Harmfulness: It correlates PM's oxidative potential with local and regional sources, providing insight into its health impacts.

Using advanced aerosol mass spectrometry and data analytics, the research conducted across five Indo-Gangetic Plain sites reveals significant variations in PM chemical composition due to local emission sources and formation processes. Within Delhi, traffic exhaust, residential heating, and oxidation products of fossil fuel emissions dominate PM pollution. Outside Delhi, biomass-burning vapors contribute to the dominance of ammonium sulfate and nitrate, as well as secondary organic aerosols.

The study reveals that organic aerosols from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, including traffic emissions, are key contributors to PM's oxidative potential, a primary driver of health effects in the region. Alarmingly, the oxidative potential of Indian PM2.5 is up to five times higher than that of Chinese and European cities, marking it as one of the highest globally.

Dr. Bhattu emphasizes the need for collaboration among local communities, stakeholders, and societal changes to address India's air pollution crisis, particularly in densely populated urban areas like Delhi. Sustainable efforts promoting cleaner energy sources, improved combustion efficiency, and reduced transportation emissions are essential.

The study provides valuable insights for evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at safeguarding public health and the environment. Prioritizing mitigation strategies targeting the most significant health impacts, particularly inefficient combustion processes, is crucial for Northern India.