Journal of Environmental Biology

                    Fine particles (PM_2.5) in ambient air of Lucknow city due to

                                              fireworks on Diwali festival

 

S.C. Barman*¹, Ramesh Singh¹, M.P.S. Negi² and S.K. Bhargava¹

¹Environmental Monitoring Section, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, M.G. Marg, Lucknow - 226 001, India

²Biometry and Statistics Division, Central Drug Research Institute, M.G. Marg, Lucknow -226 001, India

(Received: August 11, 2007; Revised received: March 29, 2008; Accepted: April 05, 2008)

 

Abstract: People burn crackers world over on different occasions in different countries to express their happiness. Fireworks in large amounts aggravate the level of air pollutants and cause significant short-term air quality degradation with possible impact on human health. Fine particles (PM_2.5 <2.5 mm), which may pose detrimental effects on human health and ecosystems were monitored in a residential area of Lucknow city to assess the elevated level due to bursting of firecrackers during Diwali festival. The 24 hr mean PM_2.5 of normal day, pre Diwali day, Diwali day and post Diwali day was found to be 124, 154, 352 and 174 mg m^-3 respectively and much above the US-EPA limit (65 mg m^-3). The 12 hr mean concentration of PM_2.5 on Diwali night (591  mg m^-3) increased 3.9 fold than the respective night of normal day (159  mg m^-3) and was significantly higher (p<0.01) than normal day  and pre and post Diwali night. Mean comparison showed that Diwali day was significantly (p<0.01) different from others (except post Diwali day) and for this high accumulation during night time, after fireworks (suspension) was found to be more responsible than the period of lighting of crackers (formation). This study indicated that there is high accumulation of PM_2.5 generated due to fireworks on Diwali festival which remains suspended in the air for upto 20 hr. During this period, extra mass burden of 289 mg m^-3 equivalent to 1.9 normal day (of this study) was imposed in the environment. The short-term high accumulation of PM_2.5 is a matter of serious concern for city dwellers as it can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause many respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

 

Key words: Fireworks, Diwali festival, Fine particles (PM_2.5), Air pollution, Air quality

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