Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality in Lahore, Pakistan (original) (raw)
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Preliminary monitoring of tropospheric air quality of Lahore City in Pakistan
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Environmental pollution being fatal for all living organisms is growing adversely due to excessive industrialization and urbanization. Vehicular emissions have aggravated the situation and pose detrimental effects on human health. In this study, the trend of ambient air quality was analyzed in the three metropolitan cities of Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for a period of three years (2008-2010). Air pollutants, such as NO, NO x , NO 2 and PM 2.5 were recorded usingmobile air quality monitoring stations in the target areas. Results from statistical analysis revealed PM 2.5 with highest levels in all the cities, albeit exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limits. Spearman correlation revealed that the levels of air pollutants were negatively correlated with the temperature and rainfall, whereas positively correlated with the wind speed. Annual and seasonal variations in the concentrations of the air pollutants was also observed and the highest concentration was recorded in Karachi during the winter season that could be attributed to inversion phenomenon. In addition, the elevated vehicular emissions were observed in Lahore, implied comparatively high air pollution loads, comparison to those of Karachi and Islamabad. The widespread use of low-quality fuel, coupled with a dramatic expansion in the number of vehicles has led to significant air pollution problems, especially in Lahore and Karachi. Therefore, the efficient mass transit system and urban forests should be introduced to abate the ever-increasing levels of organic pollutants and improve the state of ambient air quality in the major cities of Pakistan.
Impact of transport and industrial emissions on the ambient air quality of Lahore City, Pakistan
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2010
Lahore's population is growing at a rate of 4% a year. It is widely perceived that because of this rapid growth, the level of services provided to the city's 7 million inhabitants has substantially deteriorated. This study presents the finding of ambient air quality monitoring carried out in Lahore City, Pakistan. The ambient air quality was monitored for criteria pollutants carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), sulfur dioxide (SO 2), ozone (O 3), particulate matter (TSP and PM 10), lead (Pb), and noise level at ten different locations of the city. The sampling locations were selected in a way to draw a representative profile of air quality, covering both newly developed as well as highly congested urban centers. The sulfur dioxide, lead, and suspended particulate concentration was found very high as compared to the ambient air quality standards of US Environmental Protection Agency and WHO guidelines. The 24-h average noise was exceeding the WHO limits at majority of the locations. The study presents the severity of air pollution in
Development of baseline (air quality) data in Pakistan
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2007
During 2003–2004, SUPARCO, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission has conducted a year long baseline air quality study in country’s major urban areas (Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar). The objective of this study was to establish baseline levels and behavior of airborne pollutants in urban centers with temporal and spatial parameters. This study reveals that the highest concentrations of CO were observed at Quetta (14 ppm) while other pollutants like SO2 (52.5 ppb), NOx (60.75 ppb) and O3 (50 ppb) were higher at Lahore compared to other urban centers like Karachi, Peshawar etc. The maximum particulate (TSP) and PM10 levels were observed at Lahore (996 ug/m3 and 368 ug/m3 respectively), Quetta (778 ug/m3, 298 ug/m3) and in Karachi (410 ug/m3, 302 ug/m3). In all major cities the highest levels were recorded at major intersections and variations were directly correlated with traffic density. These pollutants showed highest levels in summer and spring while lowest were observed in winter and monsoon. A data bank has been generated for future planning and air pollution impact studies.
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The rapid increase in population growth due to industrialization and urbanization has resulted in air quality deterioration in Pakistan. Consequently, a considerable increase has been seen in the types of sources of air pollutants. However, the air quality of the country has deteriorated in the absence of management capabilities against air quality. Evidence from numerous governmental organizations and international bodies has specified that the environment, health, and quality of life are at high risk due to air pollution. Although the government of Pakistan established the Pakistan Clean Air Program, along with continuous monitoring stations to manage the quality of ambient air, air quality values have not yet been achieved. The present investigations were made in the city of Faisalabad in selected locations. Sampling of a 24 h average was done for selected sites. The air quality parameters such as NO2, SO2, COx, O2, noise level, and suspended particulate matter (SPM) were measure...
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This study aims to assess the long-term trend of fine particles (PM 2.5 ; ≤2.5 μm) at two urban sites of Lahore during 2007-2011. These sites represent two distinct areas: commercial (Townhall) and residential cum industrial (Township). The highest daily mean concentrations of PM 2.5 were noted as 389 and 354 μg m −3 at the Townhall and Township sites, respectively. As expected, the annual seasonal mean of PM 2.5 was about 53 and 101% higher during winter compared with the summer and monsoon/post-monsoon seasons, respectively. On contrary to many observations seen in developing cities, the annual mean PM 2.5 during the weekends was higher than weekdays at both monitoring sites. For example, these were 100 (142) and 142 μg m −3 (148) during the weekdays (weekends) at the Townhall and Township sites, respectively.
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Air pollution is a global hazards and has immense effects on human health, metrology, climatic changes and ecosystem. In developing countries modernization and industrialization increases the use of fossil fuel in many ways and producing environmental damages especially in rapidly growing megacities. These days air pollution is well-known to be significantly aggravated by infectious atmospheric trace gases, liquid droplets and suspended solid particles (Kaldellis et al., 2012). In Pakistan ambient air quality has increasingly deteriorated due to anthropogenic sources like industrialization, unplanned urbanization, rapid growth of population, open burning of waste and vehicular emission due to poor transportation system. Many decade scientist and researchers have provided undeniable data that the emission and deposition of air pollutants damage the life and quality of plants and animals, quality of water, degraded the soil, productivity of forest and hazards for human health. It becomes an important environmental risk factor for cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. High particulate matter pollution is one of the most important issue in urban cities, not only affects the status of cultural heritages but produce severe health hazards particularly pulmonary disorders because it can
Pakistan journal of scientific and industrial research, 2016
The present study examines the variation of ambient aerosol (PM 10) concentrations in Karachi, city. Samples were collected from ten different locations, representative of urban background, residential, traffic and industrial areas from 2007 to 2011. At each location, PM 10 was measured continuously from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm at local time. The maximum 10 h average particulate matter (PM 10) mass concentrations were found at Tibet Centre (440.1mg/m 3) and minimum at PCSIR Campus (21.7mg/m 3) during 2008. A rising trend during 2008 may be due to the civil works for bridges and extension of roads at different locations in Karachi. The results also suggest that urban traffic and industrial areas appeared to have higher PM 10 concentration than residential and background areas.
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2024
Smog has become the fifth season of Pakistan especially in Lahore city. Increased level of air pollutants (primary and secondary) are thought to be responsible for the formation of smog in Lahore. Therefore, the current study was carried out for the evaluation of air pollutants (primary and secondary) of smog in Wagah border particularly and other sites (Jail road, Gulburg) Lahore. For this purpose, baseline data on winter smog from March to December on primary and secondary air pollutants and meteorological parameters was collected from Environmental Protection Department and Pakistan Meteorological Department respectively. Devices being used in both departments for analysis of parameters were also studied. Collected data was further statistically analyzed to determine the correlation of parameters with meteorological conditions and was subjected to air quality index. According to results, PM 10 and PM 2.5 were found very high above the NEQS. NOx concentrations were also high above...
Pakistan Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research Series A: Physical Sciences
Criteria air pollutants have their significance for causing health threats and damage to theenvironment. The study was conducted to assess the seasonal and temporal variations of criteria air pollutantsand evaluating the correlations of criteria air pollutants with meteorological parameters in the city ofLahore, Pakistan for a period of one year from April 2010 to March 2011. The concentrations of criteriaair pollutants were determined at fixed monitoring stations equipped with HORIBA analyzers. The annualaverage concentrations (µg/m3) of PM2.5, O3, SO2, CO and NOx (NO+NO2) for this study period were118.94±57.46, 46.0±24.2, 39.9±8.9, 1940±1300 and 130.9±81.0 (61.8±46.2+57.3±22.19), respectively.PM2.5, SO2, CO and NOx had maximum concentrations during winter whereas O3 had maximum concentrationduring summer. Minimum concentrations of PM2.5, SO2 and NOx were found during monsoon as comparedto other seasons due to rainfall which scavenged these pollutants. The O3 showed positive correl...