Seasonal trends of PM10, PM5.0, PM2.5 & PM1.0 in indoor and outdoor environments of residential homes located in North-Central India

This study presents data on the size characterization concentration of Mho, PM50, PM2.5 and PM1.0. These particulate concentrations were monitored from October-07 to March-09 indoors and outdoors of five roadside and five urban homes using Grimm aerosol spectrometer in Agra, India. Annual average concentrations of coarse particles (PM10) indoor and outdoor were 247 mu g m(-3) and 255 mu g m(-3) at roadside houses and 181 mu g m(-3) and 195 mu g m(-3) at urban houses. PM5.0 concentrations at roadside houses were 211 mu g m(-3) and 230 mu g m(-3) and at urban houses were 145 mu g m(-3) and 159 mu g m(-3). For fine particles (PM2.5) the annual mean concentrations were 161 mu g m(-3) and 160 mu g m(-3) at roadside houses and 109 mu g m(-3) and 123 mu g m(-3) at urban houses. PM1.0 concentrations at roadside houses were 111 mu g m(-3) and 112 mu g m(-3) while at urban houses they were 99 mu g m(-3) and 104 mu g m(-3). Monthly and seasonal variations of coarse and fine particulate matter have been studied at both the monitoring sites. Significant seasonal variations of particulate pollutants were obtained using the daily average particulate concentrations along with the inter particulate ratios. Particulate indoor/outdoor ratios and concentrations were also linked with meteorological conditions and indoor activities using occupant's diary entries. The concentration of all sizes of particulate matter was found to be highest in winter season due to increase human activities and more space heating in indoors and due to low windspeed and high humidity in outdoors in comparison with other seasons. There was a strong correlation between indoor and outdoor particulate at both the sites. Health problems in occupants of the houses with higher concentrations of the fine particulate matter were more prominent. Household activities like cooking on stoves, indoor smoking and outdoor vehicular traffic, and garbage burning were found to be the major sources of particulate emissions indoor as well as outdoors. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.