PM2.5 pollution exceeding Indian standard over a semi-urban region at eastern IGP: Chemistry, meteorological impact, and long-range transport

A year-long study (January-December 2019) on the chemical characterization and meteorological impact on PM2.5 was conducted over a semi-urban station, Shyamnagar, in the easternmost part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). PM2.5 concentrations (Mean = 81.69 & PLUSMN; 66.27 & mu;gm � 3; 7.10-272.74 & mu;gm � 3), the total carbonaceous aerosols (TCA) (Mean = 22.85 & PLUSMN; 24.95 & mu;gm � 3; 0.77-102.97 & mu;gm � 3) along with differential carbonaceous components like organic carbon (OC) (Mean = 11.28 & PLUSMN; 12.48 & mu;gm � 3; 0.48-53.01 & mu;gm � 3) and elemental carbon (EC) (Mean = 4.83 & PLUSMN; 5.28 & mu;gm � 3; 0.1-22.13 & mu;gm � 3) exhibited prominent seasonal variability with the highest concentrations during winter, followed by post-monsoon, pre-monsoon and lowest during monsoon. A similar seasonal variation was observed for the total water-soluble ionic species (Mean = 31.91 & PLUSMN; 20.12 & mu;gm � 3; 0.1-126.73 & mu;gm � 3). We observed that under the least favorable conditions (low ventilation coefficient), high PM2.5 pollution (exceeding Indian standard) was associated with a high increase in secondary components of PM2.5. Eastern, central and western parts of IGP, as well as Nepal, were the major long-distant source regions whereas the northern part of West Bengal and parts of Bangladesh were the major regional source region for high PM2.5 pollution over Shyamnagar. The ratios like char-EC/soot-EC, non-sea-K+/EC and non-sea-SO42-/EC strongly indicated the dominance of fossil fuel burning over biomass burning. Compared with other studies, we observed that the PM2.5 pollution over this semi-urban region was comparable (and even higher in some cases) with other parts of IGP. The high exceedance of PM2.5 over the Indian standard in Shyamnagar strongly demands an immediate initiation of systematic and regular based air pollution monitoring over semi-urban/non-urban regions in India, especially IGP, in addition to the polluted cities.

Automated summary

A year-long study was conducted on PM2.5 over a semi-urban station in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The study found significant seasonal variations in PM2.5 concentrations and carbonaceous aerosols, with the highest levels in winter and the lowest during the monsoon. Major source regions for high PM2.5 pollution were identified, and it was recommended that systematic and regular air pollution monitoring be initiated in non-urban regions of India.