Effects of ambient air pollution on respiratory and eye illness in population living in Kodungaiyur, Chennai

In 2017, during spring and summer, the concentration of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) were monitored over a period of 6 months in Kodungaiyur, Chennai, India and compared with the National Ambient Air Quality standard (NAAQS) of India. The maximum mean daily concentration values of NO2, SO2, CO and PM2.5 were found to be 66 mu g/m(3), 96 mu g/m(3), 180 mu g/m(3) and 425 mu g/m(3) respectively. In this work, a survey of the diseases onset in the locality Kodungaiyur was conducted to bring out the effects mainly due to PM2.5 on human beings. The diseases surveyed include mostly allergic complications in the lungs, eye and ENT. The results showed associations between pollution exposure and increased percentage of infection in the age group from 21 to 30 years, with a confidence level of 95%.