Publications

2024

1. Quantification of Dynamic Ventilation Rates and Assessment of Occupant Thermal Comfort Inside a Naturally Ventilated Hostel Room During Wintertime in North India

   Supreme Jain, Asmita Addya, and Anubha Goel

   2024

   Cited by: 0; Conference name: 2nd Asian Conference on Indoor Environmental Quality, ACIEQ 2023; Conference date: 24 February 2023 through 25 February 2023; Conference code: 300209

   Abs

   Ventilation rates significantly impact indoor thermal comfort and air quality. In this study, a week-long field measurement was conducted in a hostel room with natural ventilation on the academic campus of IIT-Kanpur, India. Indoor air temperature (Ta) and CO2 concentration were monitored continuously in the single-occupant room during wintertime in January 2022. We evaluated the data for dynamic ventilation rates (VRs) and the relationship between air exchange rates (AERs) and thermal comfort inside the room. Considering CO2 released by occupants as a tracer gas, the tracer gas decay method is applied to measure CO2 concentrations for daytime and night-time decay episodes. The dynamic VRs vary from 1 to 19 L/s per person (AER—0.14–2.67 h−1). The daytime VRs were approximately 45% higher than night-time. The predicted thermal conditions in the hostel room (using PPV/PMV model) were uncomfortable for approximately 22% of the total time, mainly during the night and early morning hours. A neutral temperature of 22.7 °C and a comfortable temperature range of 20.6–24.6 °C were determined (Ta = 18.6–24.8 °C). The difference between AERcomfortable (0.14–2.67 h−1) and AERuncomfortable (0.31–2.66 h−1) was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This suggests that AER is not a prominent factor affecting thermal comfort during winter in the hostel. The high diurnal variation observed in VRs highlights the need for dynamic measurement that reflects the actual dynamic characteristics. Information obtained will help plan interventions and design toward achieving better thermal conditions in the hostel environment. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

2. Low-Cost Interventions that Reduce Particle Levels Indoors Are Viable Options to Enhance the Operating Efficiency of Occupants

   Shubham Rathi, Anubha Goel, and Deepshikha Ola

   2024

   Cited by: 0; Conference name: 2nd Asian Conference on Indoor Environmental Quality, ACIEQ 2023; Conference date: 24 February 2023 through 25 February 2023; Conference code: 300209

   Abs

   Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is now well recognized as impacting employee work efficiency. Poor indoor air quality can lead to productivity problems and absence from work. To examine IAQ conditions inside offices in an academic institute, IIT Kanpur, real-time monitoring of particulate matter (PM) was conducted during office hours (10 am to 5 pm). Particulate levels inside five offices on different floors of a multi-storeyed building were monitored over three consecutive days. All offices are on the same side of the building and have 3–6 permanent staff each. Office occupants were given a questionnaire survey to obtain feedback on health-related discomfort indoors (sleepiness, headache, and eye irritation). Only one location (Office A on the first floor) marginally met the current WHO guidelines for PM10 (45 μg/m3), and all others far exceeded it. At least one-fifth of the staff in the four offices that do not meet the WHO guidelines complained about health-related discomfort. Mass (due to PM10) retained in the trachea-bronchi (TB) of the lungs of office (these four) occupants (using the Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) model) was 50% (average) higher than that in the case of staff in office A. The office with the highest number of printing appliances shows the highest concentration of fine-particulate matter (PM1) and confirms the influence of indoor sources on IAQ. Air purifiers are low-cost interventions that can improve IAQ. Achieving the WHO guidelines inside offices will reduce particle mass retained on the TB up to a staggering 56%. Meeting guidelines may increase the efficiency of workers in these offices by 12–45%. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

2023

1. Heating and lighting: understanding overlooked energy-consumption activities in the Indian residential sector

   Chimurkar Navinya, Taveen S Kapoor, Gupta Anurag, and 28 more authors

   2023

   Cited by: 1; All Open Access, Gold Open Access

   Abs

   Understanding the climate impact of residential emissions starts with determining the fuel consumption of various household activities. While cooking emissions have been widely studied, non-cooking energy-consumption activities in the residential sector such as heating and lighting, have been overlooked owing to the unavailability of data at national levels. The present study uses data from the Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions, Source Apportionment and Climate Impacts (COALESCE) project, which consists of residential surveys over 6000 households across 49 districts of India, to understand the energy consumed by non-cooking residential activities. Regression models are developed to estimate information in non-surveyed districts using demographic, housing, and meteorological data as predictors. Energy demand is further quantified and distributed nationally at a 4 × 4 km resolution. Results show that the annual energy consumption from non-cooking activities is 1106 [201] PJ, which is equal to one-fourth of the cooking energy demand. Freely available biomass is widely used to heat water on traditional stoves, even in the warmer regions of western and southern India across all seasons. Space heating (51%) and water heating (42%) dominate non-cooking energy consumption. In comparison, nighttime heating for security personnel (5%), partly-residential personal heating by guards, dominant in urban centers and kerosene lighting (2%) utilize minimal energy. Biomass fuels account for over 90% of the non-cooking consumption, while charcoal and kerosene make up the rest. Half of the energy consumption occurs during winter months (DJF), while 10% of the consumption occurs during monsoon, when kerosene lighting is the highest. Firewood is the most heavily used fuel source in western India, charcoal in the northern hilly regions, agricultural residues and dung cake in the Indo-Gangetic plains, and kerosene in eastern India. The study shows that ∼20% of residential energy consumption is on account of biomass-based heating and kerosene lighting activities. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.

2. Author Correction: Reconciliation of energy use disparities in brick production in India (Nature Sustainability, (2023), 10.1038/s41893-023-01165-x)

   Kushal Tibrewal, Chandra Venkataraman, Harish Phuleria, and 29 more authors

   2023

   Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access

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   Correction to: Nature Sustainability. Published online 29 June 2023. In the version of this article initially published, a present address for Kushal Tibrewal (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), IPSL/CEA/CNRS/UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France) was missing from the affiliation list. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article. © 2023, The Author(s).

3. Reconciliation of energy use disparities in brick production in India

   Kushal Tibrewal, Chandra Venkataraman, Harish Phuleria, and 29 more authors

   2023

   Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Green Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access

   Abs

   Energy conservation in brick production is crucial to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from the building sector, especially in countries with major expansions in the built environment. However, widely disparate energy consumption estimates impede benchmarking its importance relative to the steel and cement industries. Here we modelled Indian brick production and its regional energy consumption by combining a nationwide questionnaire survey on feedstock, process variables and practices with remote sensing data on kiln enumeration. We found a large underreporting in current official estimates of energy consumption, with actual energy consumption comparable to that in the steel and cement industries in the country. With a total estimated production of 233 ± 15 billion bricks per year, the brick industry consumes 990 ± 125 PJ yr−1 of energy, 35 ± 6 Mt yr−1 coal and 25 ± 6 Mt yr−1 biomass. The main drivers of energy consumption for brick production are the kiln technology, the production capacity and the fuel mix used. The results suggest that improving operating practices would be a first step in making brick production more energy efficient. © 2023, The Author(s).

4. Rationale and Design of a Study to Test the Effect of Personal Protective Aids on Hypertension and Diabetes in People Living With High Levels of Air Pollution—Study Protocol

   Dweep Barbhaya, Jennifer Tran, Aditya Khetan, and 4 more authors

   2023

   Cited by: 1

   Abs

   Background: Air pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today, disproportionally affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as India. Studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) can contribute to cardiovascular disease and increase mortality. We hypothesise that the use of personal protective aids (home indoor air purifiers/N95 masks) can decrease systolic blood pressure (SBP) in people with hypertension and decrease fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) in those with diabetes. Method: This is a prospective randomised crossover study in Dalkhola, India—an area of high ambient PM2.5 levels. Participants between 18–70 years of age with hypertension (n=128) and diabetes (n=33) will be invited to participate in the study. They will be randomised to either an intervention or control arm for 4 weeks, after which they will cross over to the other arm following a 2-week washout period. The intervention will consist of using an indoor air purifier at night and N95 mask when outdoors. The control period will involve using an identical air purifier and N95 mask with the filter removed (sham filtration). Participants and outcome assessors will be blinded to study arm assignment. Outcome Evaluation: The primary outcome of the study is the absolute reduction in SBP among people with hypertension and absolute reduction in FBG among people with diabetes. Discussion: This is the first randomised controlled trial to evaluate the use of personal protective aids as a therapeutic measure in people with hypertension and diabetes exposed to high levels of PM2.5. Given the high burden of air pollution in LMIC, there is an urgent need for adaptation measures targeting people at high risk for mortality from this exposure. The results of our study will demonstrate whether personal protective aids can be a viable adaptation measure for people living with hypertension and diabetes in areas with a high burden of air pollution. Trial Registration: This is clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04854187. © 2022 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ)

5. Reassessing the availability of crop residue as a bioenergy resource in India: A field-survey based study

   Taveen S. Kapoor, Chimurkar Navinya, Gupta Anurag, and 28 more authors

   2023

   Cited by: 1

   Abs

   Second-generation bioenergy, a carbon neutral or negative renewable resource, is crucial to achieving India’s net-zero emission targets. Crop residues are being targeted as a bioenergy resource as they are otherwise burned on-field, leading to significant pollutant emissions. But estimating their bioenergy potential is problematic because of broad assumptions about their surplus fractions. Here, we use comprehensive surveys and multivariate regression models to estimate the bioenergy potential of surplus crop residues in India. These are with high sub-national and crop disaggregation that can facilitate the development of efficient supply chain mechanisms for its widespread usage. The estimated potential for 2019 of 1313 PJ can increase the present bioenergy installed capacity by 82% but is likely insufficient alone to meet India’s bioenergy targets. The shortage of crop residue for bioenergy, combined with the sustainability concerns raised by previous studies, imply a need to reassess the strategy for the use of this resource. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

2021

1. Health benefits due to reduction in respirable particulates during covid-19 lockdown in india

   Anubha Goel, Pallavi Saxena, Saurabh Sonwani, and 7 more authors

   2021

   Cited by: 22; All Open Access, Gold Open Access

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   To control the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of India imposed various phases of lockdown starting from the third week of March 2020. Improvement in city air quality has emerged as a benefit of this lockdown in India. The objective of this paper is to quantify the health benefits due to this lockdown. PM2.5 concentrations in nonattainment cities (NACs) in Uttar Pradesh and the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) in North India were studied. Data from prelockdown and the various lockdown phases were compared, with 2019 as a benchmark. Compared with those in 2019, the PM2.5 concentrations during lockdown Phase 1 were approximately 44.6% lower for cities in Uttar Pradesh and approximately 58.5% lower for the Delhi-NCR. The health impacts of particle inhalation were quantified using the multiple-path particle dosimetry and AirQ+ models, which revealed that the most considerable improvement was during lockdown Phase 1. Among the prelockdown and lockdown phases, Phase 1 exhibited the minimum PM2.5 concentration and thus the greatest health benefits. For the selected cities, the concentration of particle deposition in the tracheobronchial region of human lungs showed its maximum reduction during lockdown Phase 1(30.14%). Furthermore, the results highlighted a decrease of 29.85 deaths per 100,000 persons during lockdown Phase 1, primarily due to the reduction in PM2.5 concentrations. This quantification of the health benefits due to a decrease in PM2.5 may help policymakers implement suitable control measures, especially for NACs, where the respirable particulate matter concentrations remain very high. © 2021, AAGR Aerosol and Air Quality Research. All rights reserved.

2020

1. Examination of particle characteristics and quantification of emission factors for smoke generated from a popular indian incense burnt in an experimental chamber

   Anubha Goel, Radhika Mundra, and Deepshikha Ola

   2020

   Cited by: 1

   Abs

   Smoke released from the burning of incenses, a quotidian practice in India, is found to contain many toxic chemicals on particles making it a prominent source of indoor air pollution. This study analyzes the smoke and ash particles emitted from a popular incense brand in India, inside an experimental chamber. Emission factor (EF) for PM3.2 generated from burning the incense is found to be 12.5 ± 4.2 mg/g which is higher than the EF of biomass like sugarcane, rice straw and fuelwood (range: 1.69–10.9 mg/g). This EF value is either in the same range or higher than some of the incenses from Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. From 60 to 70% of the PM3.2 mass collected consists of particles less than 1 μm in size. The maximum particle number count emitted from the incense exceeds 107 which is three orders of magnitude (i.e., 103) higher than the number count reported in another study from Italy (104). The composition of water-soluble ions and particle-bound metals in the smoke is similar to that reported for incense-based studies worldwide. This is the first study in India focusing on emission characteristics from burning incense in an experimental chamber, eliminating any external interference. Toxic elements like iron, zinc, and lead, affecting health substantially, on regular exposure are also detected. Studies have revealed that the toxicity associated with incense emissions can be higher than cigarette smoke. More comprehensive chemical analysis of the incense smoke and relevant health risk exposure is highly recommended. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.

2. Monitoring of environmental quality parameters at places frequented by IIT Kanpur campus staff and students and examination of link with occupants perception of indoor climate

   Deepshikha Ola, Supreme Jain, Anubha Goel, and 2 more authors

   2020

   Cited by: 0; Conference name: 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020; Conference date: 1 November 2020; Conference code: 166587

   Abs

   Real-time monitoring of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters inside offices and using a questionnaire survey to find out the perception of office occupants about their indoor microenvironments was obtained in IIT Kanpur, an academic and residential campus. The most common health-related discomfort reported were headache, eye irritation, sleepiness, and sneezing attacks. The heat index (HI), a measure of human discomfort, was found in caution and danger zone in all offices, except office-1 (O-1) on Floor 1 of the 6-story building. Lowest PM10, CO2, and HI levels were also noted in the same office. The indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, an approximate surrogate of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), was found >1000ppm, at one office. The good agreements between occupant’s perception and actual on-site IEQ observed in this preliminary study act to elevate the continuation of efforts to identify problem hotspots and implementation of mitigation strategies. The present study will help in the achievement of a healthy work environment. © 2020 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020. All rights reserved.

3. Effect of spray particle size distribution on deposition in human respiratory tract – Safety evaluation

   Anubha Goel, Pinki Bhandari, Saifi Izhar, and 2 more authors

   2020

   Cited by: 0

   Abs

   The present study revealed the post spray increase in particle mass concentration of fipronil in ambient air near the application site viz. PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 were about 51.2, 66.1 and 161.9 μg/m3, respectively. The ambient particle size distribution of pesticide at agricultural application site of 15 m2 with varying nozzle size diameters followed with Optical Particle Counter (OPC) detection showed finer particles ranging from 0.23 to 40 μm got deposited significantly in the human pulmonary region. © 2020 Scientific Publishers. All rights reserved.

4. Comparison of indoor air quality for air-conditioned and naturally ventilated office spaces in urban area

   Supreme Jain, Divyam Garg, and Anubha Goel

   2020

   Cited by: 1

   Abs

   Indoor air quality (IAQ) is affected by indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air and depending on ventilation conditions, outdoor ambient air quality can also be contributing factor. Inadequate ventilation by limiting inflow-outflow of pollutants, proximity to field or busy road can increase indoor pollutant levels. For this study, two offices, one with natural ventilation and other with central AC system, within residential campus of IIT Kanpur were selected. Air quality in offices with varying ventilation conditions was monitored simultaneously indoor and outdoor. The aim was to compare the data for the two locations and elicit influence of ventilation conditions on indoor pollutant levels. Size segregated mass concentration of ambient aerosols and particle number concentration (PNC) were determined for indoor using cascade impactor, MOUDI and OPC, respectively. Outdoor coarse particle concentration (PM10) was determined using HVS sampler. The PM concentration was found to be highest in naturally ventilated office. As per the recently released ISHRAE standards for indoor environment (ISHRAE Standard—10001:2016), minimum acceptable limits for Class C are PM10 < 100 µg/m3 and PM2.5 < 25 µg/m3. Levels of particles recorded in these office spaces were 4–6 times higher than ISHRAE acceptable limits for PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. Particle number concentration (PNC) was also higher in naturally ventilated office space as concentration was more than 400,000 particles/cm3 (<1 µm) as compared to air-conditioned office space (160,000 particles/cm3). The I/O ratio for PM10 was found to be 0.64 and 2.93 for Office 1 and Office 2, respectively. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.

5. Chemical characterization of PM1 emissions from indoor combustion sources using an experimental chamber

   Saurabh Kumar Singh, Deepshikha Ola, Supreme Jain, and 1 more author

   2020

   Cited by: 0; Conference name: 16th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate: Creative and Smart Solutions for Better Built Environments, Indoor Air 2020; Conference date: 1 November 2020; Conference code: 166587
6. Comparison of ambient air pollution levels of Amritsar during foggy conditions with that of five major north Indian cities: multivariate analysis and air mass back trajectories

   Rekha Yadav, Manpreet S. Bhatti, Sushil K. Kansal, and 9 more authors

   2020

   Cited by: 7; All Open Access, Bronze Open Access

   Abs

   Abstract: In the present study, winter fog events (Nov. 2017–Feb. 2018) in Amritsar city were compared with other major cities of North India. Multivariate data analysis, along with air mass trajectory analysis, was used to explain the complex behaviour of ambient air quality during winter fog. Average particulate matter (PM) during fog events was PM2.5 (77 μg m−3), PM10 (162 μg m−3) above the 24 h average National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of PM2.5 (60 μg m−3) and PM10 (100 μg m−3), respectively prescribed by Government of India. Wind speed and visibility during fog events were studied along with prevailing wind direction for major PM episodes. Amritsar’s PM2.5 comparison with Ludhiana, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Jaipur showed a clear link between Amritsar with Ludhiana (r = 0.807), a North Indian industrial hub. Lucknow and Kanpur had a strong correlation (r = 0.826) due to their proximity. Box-plot of PM2.5 to PM10 ratio revealed a lower contribution of PM2.5 in Amritsar as compared to other cities. Dimensionality reduction using factor analysis of ambient air quality and meteorological parameters grouped the data in order of their variance explained. The first principal component (PC-1) was PM2.5 and PM10, followed by an antagonist correlation of humidity with wind velocity and visibility in Amritsar city. Factor analysis of ambient air quality of six cities, grouped Delhi, Kanpur, and Lucknow into PC-1, followed by Ludhiana and Amritsar as PC-2 which could be due to their proximity signifying the similar ambient air quality of the sites. In order to determine the origin of air mass, 24 h backward trajectories were studied and corroborated with wind rose profile. The results revealed the transport of air masses from the west to the source location. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

2019

1. Burden of disease for workers attributable to exposure through inhalation of PPAHs in RSPM from cooking fumes

   Anubha Goel, Deepshikha Ola, and Anitha V. Veetil

   2019

   Cited by: 14

   Abs

   Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are classified as possible carcinogens (WHO), have been detected in cooking fumes in considerable amounts. Distribution of 24 PAHs on varying particle sizes was analyzed in cooking emission. Analysis of cooking fumes from vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was carried out separately in the kitchen of a hostel mess in IIT Kanpur during November 2012 and February 2013. Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAHs) showed a similar sequence regarding concentration observed in vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. PAHs with carcinogenic potential was detected and quantified mostly in the fine particles. Total PAH concentrations in the fine and ultrafine ranges together accounted for > 90% of the total carcinogenic PAHs, highlighting them as primary carriers of PAHs rather than coarser particles. Benzo [a] pyrene (B [a]P) levels contribute > 70% to total carcinogenic potential and > 60%, to mutagenic potential, respectively. The total toxicity impact on the workers due to the PAHs emitted from cooking fumes was 3.374 × 10 −10 DALYs, with B [a] P contributing the most (> 70%) despite its low concentration. Exposure to cooking fumes especially for people involved in this activity on a daily basis (chefs, hostel mess workers, among others) raises health concerns. An extensive examination of impacts due to exposure to emissions in both particle and gas phase on a long-term basis is required. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

2018

1. Atmospheric abundance of HULIS during wintertime in Indo-Gangetic Plain: impact of biomass burning emissions

   Varun Kumar, Prashant Rajput, and Anubha Goel

   2018

   Cited by: 19

   Abs

   This study reports for the first-time the ambient concentrations of HULIS mass (HULIS-OM, Humic-like substances) and HULIS-C (carbon) in PM 10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm) from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP at Kanpur, wintertime). HULIS extraction followed by purification and isolation protocol with methanol: acetonitrile (1:1 v/v) on HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balanced) cartridge has been established. Quantification of HULIS-C was achieved on a total organic carbon (TOC) analyser whereas HULIS-OM was determined gravimetrically. Consistently high recovery (> 90%) of HULIS-C based on analysis of Humic standard (sodium salt of Humic acid) suggested suitability of our established analytical protocol involving solvent extraction, purification and accurate quantification of HULIS. HULIS-OM varied from 17.3–38 μg m −3 during daytime and from 19.8–40.6 μg m −3 during night in this study. During daytime the HULIS-OM constituted 20–30% mass fraction of OM Total and 10–15% of PM 10 mass. However, a relatively low contribution of HULIS-OM has been observed during the night. This observation has been attributed to higher concentrations of OM and PM 10 in night owing to nighttime chemical reactivity and condensation of organics in conjunction with shallower planetary boundary layer height. Strong correlation of HULIS-C with K + BB (R 2 > 0.80) and significant day-night variability of HULIS-C/WSOC ratio in conjunction with air-mass back trajectories (showing transport of pollutants from upwind IGP) suggest biomass burning emission and secondary transformations as important sources of HULIS over IGP. High-loading of atmospheric PM 10 (as high as 440 μg m −3 ) with significant contribution of water-soluble organic aerosols (WSOC/OC:   0.40–0.80) during wintertime highlights their plausible potential role in fog and haze formation and their impact on regional-scale atmospheric radiative forcing over the IGP. © 2018, Springer Nature B.V.

2. Toxicity potential of particles caused by particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAHs) at two roadside locations and relationship with traffic

   Anubha Goel, Shubham Rathi, and Manish Agrawal

   2018

   Cited by: 4

   Abs

   This study assessed exposure by the roadside to highly toxic particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAHs) that are known to adsorb preferentially on fine particles, aerodynamic diameter (dp ≤ 1 μm). The real-time air quality measurements were conducted in March, April, and May 2015 in Kanpur at two busy roadside locations: one outside IIT Kanpur main gate, IG, and another by a residential area, M3. The locations show varying land use type and traffic density. Higher averaged daily concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were observed at IG (PM10 700–800 μg/m3) owing to nature and high density of traffic, and occurrence of biomass burning nearby. Statistically significant relation (R2 > 90%, p < 0.05) between PM1 and PM2.5 highlights the influence of mobile sources on particle load at IG. IG, the busier location, had higher daily averaged concentration of aggregate PPAHs (104 ng/m3) than M3 which is located near a residential area (38 ng/m3). In contrast, the higher average daily value of PC/DC ratio (mass per unit surface area of PPAHs on nanoparticles) at M3 (4.87 ng/mm2) than at IG (4.08 ng/mm2) suggests that PAHs of greater mass occur on particles at M3. Finer particles are known to adsorb pollutants of a larger mass that are likely to be more toxic in case of PAHs suggest that ambient air at M3 has more toxicity potential. However, this inference is not based on chemical analyses, and chemical characteristics must also be taken into account for the detailed assessment of health risk. The multiple path dosimetry model (MPPD-v3.04) reveals that the 99.02% of PM10 inhaled, 77.01% of PM2.5 and 34.54% of PM1 are deposited in the outermost (head) region of the human respiratory tract. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

3. Study of Environmental Particle Levels, Its Effects on Lung Deposition and Relationship With Human Behaviour

   Anubha Goel, Saifi Izhar, and Tarun Gupta

   2018

   Cited by: 12

   Abs

   The adverse impact of particulate matter (PM) on human health can be best explained in terms of PM deposition inside respiratory organs rather than the typically reported ambient exposure concentration. This study measured the PM mass concentration (MC) at various microenvironments inside a residential campus and estimated the corresponding PM mass deposition in human respiratory regions such as Head (H), tracheobronchial (TB) and pulmonary (P) organs. This was done using the Multiple Path Particle Dosimetry lung model. Particle size fractions in the range of 0.25–10 μm were measured by an optical particle counter during winter when the PM MC is significantly high. The results showed that MC varied widely at different microenvironments ranging from 169.7 to 604.9 μg/m3 for PM1 and 31.2 to 649 μg/m3 for PM10−1. The highest and lowest MC for both fine and coarse sizes were found in the canteen and library, respectively. Our model revealed that the total deposited fraction increased with higher physical activity (e.g. higher breathing rate). The deposition fraction increased consistently in the Head with increase in particle size for all physical activity levels, whereas it varied in the P region. Results for 24 h lung dosimetry computed for students displayed that the dose deposition for coarse size particles for all type of activities followed the same trend: H > P > TB. A similar trend was found for fine particles except during sleep and sit activity levels with dissimilar trend: P > H > TB. The total deposited dose was found highest at play court while lowest at canteen. This type of focused preliminary study is much needed as physical activity levels and time spent at particular microenvironment besides the PM exposure concentration and helps to determine the critical microenvironments. © 2018, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

2017

1. Compositional and surface characterization of HULIS by UV-Vis, FTIR, NMR and XPS: Wintertime study in Northern India

   Varun Kumar, Anubha Goel, and Prashant Rajput

   2017

   Cited by: 37

   Abs

   This study (first attempt) characterizes HULIS (Humic Like Substances) in wintertime aerosols (n = 12 during day and nighttime each) from Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP, at Kanpur) by using various state-of-the art techniques such as UV-VIS, FTIR, 1H NMR and XPS. Based on UV-Vis analysis the absorption coefficient at 365 nm (babs-365) of HULIS was found to average at 13.6 and 28.8 Mm−1 during day and nighttime, respectively. Relatively high babs-365 of HULIS during the nighttime is attributed to influence of fog-processing. However, the power fit of UV-Vis spectrum provided near similar AAE (absorption Angstrom exponent) value of HULIS centering at 4.9 ± 1.4 and 5.1 ± 1.3 during daytime and nighttime, respectively. FTIR spectra and its double derivative revealed the presence of various functional groups viz. alcohols, ketones aldehydes, carboxylic acids as well as unsaturated and saturated carbon bonds. 1H NMR spectroscopy was applied to quantify relative percentage of various types of hydrogen atoms contained in HULIS, whereas XPS technique provided information on surface composition and oxidation states of various elements present. A significantly high abundance of H‒C‒O group has been observed in HULIS (based on 1H NMR); 41.4± 2.7% and 30.9± 2.4% in day and nighttime, respectively. However, aromatic protons (Ar-H) were higher in nighttime samples (19.3± 1.8%) as compared to that in daytime samples (7.5 ± 1.9). XPS studies revealed presence of various species on the surface of HULIS samples. Carbon existed in 7 different chemical states while total nitrogen and sulfur exhibited 3 and 2 different oxidation states (respectively) on the surface of HULIS. This study reports structural information and absorption properties of HULIS which has implications to their role as cloud condensation nuclei and atmospheric direct radiative forcing. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

2. Characteristics of exposure to particles due to incense burning inside temples in Kanpur, India

   Anubha Goel, Roshan Wathore, Tirthankar Chakraborty, and 1 more author

   2017

   Cited by: 29; All Open Access, Gold Open Access, Green Open Access

   Abs

   Incense burning in temples is a common and popular ritual in India and other Asian countries. This study aims at assessing the quantity and size segregated distribution of particulate matter in temples of Kanpur city, India. Active air sampling was performed in three temples using the Micro Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI). PM10 mass concentrations as high as 2184 µg m-3 were recorded inside the temples. Mass concentration values for all samples exceeded the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 100 µg m-3. Particle counts were high, and more than 99% of the numbers of particles generated were PM2.5. Particle coagulation is an active mechanism leading to formation of polydispersed particles. Most abundant particles occur in the accumulation mode (dp < 1 µm). Ventilation conditions and amount of incense burned are major factors affecting particle size distribution. Exposure through inhalation, to critically high concentrations of fine particulate matter generated via incense smoke especially for worshippers who frequent the temple and temple workers, raises health concerns. The results clearly indicate that incense smoke is a major source of particulate matter in the temple microenvironment and their chemical characteristics need further examination. © Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research.

2016

1. Investigation of levels in ambient air near sources of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Kanpur, India, and risk assessment due to inhalation

   Anubha Goel, Kritika Upadhyay, and Mrinmoy Chakraborty

   2016

   Cited by: 21

   Abs

   Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of organic compounds listed as persistent organic pollutant and have been banned for use under Stockholm Convention (1972). They were used primarily in transformers and capacitors, paint, flame retardants, plasticizers, and lubricants. PCBs can be emitted through the primary and secondary sources into the atmosphere, undergo long-range atmospheric transport, and hence have been detected worldwide. Reported levels in ambient air are generally higher in urban areas. Active sampling of ambient air was conducted in Kanpur, a densely populated and industrialized city in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, for detection of 32 priority PCBs, with the aim to determine the concentration in gas/particle phase and assess exposure risk. More than 50 % of PCBs were detected in air. Occurrence in particles was dominated by heavier congeners, and levels in gas phase were below detection. Levels determined in this study are lower than the levels in Coastal areas of India but are at par with other Asian countries where majority of sites chosen for sampling were urban industrial areas. Human health risk estimates through air inhalation pathway were made in terms of lifetime average daily dose (LADD) and incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR). The study found lower concentrations of PCBs than guideline values and low health risk estimates through inhalation within acceptable levels, indicating a minimum risk to the adults due to exposure to PCBs present in ambient air in Kanpur. © 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.

2. Analysis of size-segregated winter season aerosol data from New Delhi, India

   Pallavi Pant, Stephen J. Baker, Rahul Goel, and 4 more authors

   2016

   Cited by: 39; All Open Access, Green Open Access

   Abs

   Size distributions of particulate matter and twelve constituent elements were measured at a high traffic site in New Delhi, India during winter 2013. While PM was found to be trimodal, individual elements showed varying size distribution patterns. Three key types of size distributions were observed including unimodal with peaks either in the coarse (Al, Si) or fine (Pb) modes, bimodal with peaks in the fine range (S) and multimodal with peaks in accumulation and coarse (Cu, Sb) modes. Elements such as Al, Si and Fe were found to be in predominantly in the coarse range while Cu, Zn, Pb and Sb were found to be in the fine size range. Two modes dominate the size distribution. One is coarse (ca. 3 μm) and contains mainly crustal elements and hence arises from sources such as soil, road dust, construction dust and possible coal fly ash. The other, more intense mode is fine (ca. 0.6 μm) and appears to comprise sulphate and anthropogenic trace metals which have entered the droplet mode through hygroscopic particle growth in the very high humidity conditions of the Delhi winter. A third, less intensive mode ca. at 0.2 μm probably arises from relatively fresh anthropogenic emissions which have not grown into the droplet mode. © 2015 Turkish National Committee for Air Pollution Research and Control. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3. Annual trends in occurrence of submicron particles in ambient air and health risk posed by particle bound metals

   Saifi Izhar, Anubha Goel, Abhishek Chakraborty, and 1 more author

   2016

   Cited by: 121

   Abs

   Risk analysis is highly important in toxicology and public health studies. Health risk related to exposure to toxic metals of PM1 was assessed. Concentrations of 13 heavy metals, adsorbed to submicron particulate matter PM1 were experimentally examined but only 12 metals were found at detectable levels inside IIT Kanpur campus in 2008-2009 for all months excluding June and October. A total of 90 samples collected for 8 h sampling time by a single stage round nozzle, grease impaction substrate based impactor type PM1 sampler were analysed by ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry). Results showed daily average PM1 concentration is 102.46 ± 35.9 μg/m3 and metal concentration followed the trend: Ca > Fe > Mg > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > Se > Cd > V > As. Contamination level assessment using geo-accumulation index showed Ca, Fe and Mg exhibited non contamination whereas metals like Cr, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Se, Ni and Cu exhibited ranges from moderate to extreme contamination. Ingestion is found to be the major exposure pathway for heavy metals. Non-carcinogenic health risk assessment for Pb, Cd and Cr (HI > 1) signified strong chances of adverse impact on children whereas adults are well under safe limit. Cancer Risk for adults and children followed the same decreasing order, Cr(VI)>Cd > Ni > As > Pb. It was found to be higher than permissible limits (10-6) for adults and children both. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

4. Particle Bound Metals at Major Intersections in an Urban Location and Source Identification Through Use of Metal Markers

   Deepchandra Srivastava, Anubha Goel, and Manish Agrawal

   2016

   Cited by: 16

   Abs

   Air quality monitoring for Kanpur in North India, an industrial city ranked among the top ten most polluted cities worldwide, was conducted in summer 2011. Airborne particulate matter (PM) sample from six locations were analyzed for metals. Source identification conducted using metals as source markers reveals probable sources of airborne particles being vehicular emissions, industrial, and railway activity. Findings were substantiated by investigating morphological characteristics and elemental composition of PM using SEM-EDX analysis at three major sites. In addition to confirmation of results by metal marker method, SEM-EDX analysis revealed presence of sulphur (S) which highlights influence of Panki Thermal Power Plant on air quality. The study shows that high levels of metals observed in airborne particles at major intersections may pose a significant cancer risk by exposure to toxics such as Cr, Pb and Ni. © 2016, The National Academy of Sciences, India.

5. Elevated aerosol layers and their radiative impact over Kanpur during monsoon onset period

   Chandan Sarangi, S.N. Tripathi, A.K. Mishra, and 2 more authors

   2016

   Cited by: 46; All Open Access, Bronze Open Access

   Abs

   Accurate information about aerosol vertical distribution is needed to reduce uncertainties in aerosol radiative forcing and its effect on atmospheric dynamics. The present study deals with synergistic analyses of aerosol vertical distribution and aerosol optical depth (AOD) with meteorological variables using multisatellite and ground-based remote sensors over Kanpur in central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). Micro-Pulse Lidar Network-derived aerosol vertical extinction (σ) profiles are analyzed to quantify the interannual and daytime variations during monsoon onset period (May-June) for 2009-2011. The mean aerosol profile is broadly categorized into two layers viz., a surface layer (SL) extending up to 1.5 km (where σ decreased exponentially with height) and an elevated aerosol layer (EAL) extending between 1.5 and 5.5 km. The increase in total columnar aerosol loading is associated with relatively higher increase in contribution from EAL loading than that from SL. The mean contributions of EALs are about 60%, 51%, and 50% to total columnar AOD during 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. We observe distinct parabolic EALs during early morning and late evening but uniformly mixed EALs during midday. The interannual and daytime variations of EALs are mainly influenced by long-range transport and convective capacity of the local emissions, respectively. Radiative flux analysis shows that clear-sky incoming solar radiation at surface is reduced with increase in AOD, which indicates significant cooling at surface. Collocated analysis of atmospheric temperature and aerosol loading reveals that increase in AOD not only resulted in surface dimming but also reduced the temperature ( 2-3°C) of lower troposphere (below 3 km altitude). Radiative transfer simulations indicate that the reduction of incoming solar radiation at surface is mainly due to increased absorption by EALs (with increase in total AOD). The observed cooling in lower troposphere in high aerosol loading scenario could be understood as a dynamical feedback of EAL-induced stratification of lower troposphere. Further, the observed radiative effect of EALs increases the stability of the lower troposphere, which could modulate the large-scale atmospheric dynamics during monsoon onset period. These findings encourage follow-up studies on the implication of EALs to the Indian summer monsoon dynamics using numerical models. © 2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.