A Preliminary Assessment and Control Strategy of Size Segregated Pollutants in Urban and Peri-urban Areas of Metropolitan Faisalabad, Pakistan

Khalid Mehmood; Hamaad Raza Ahmad; Abbas Ali Abid; Ping Guo

doi:10.21743/pjaec/2018.12.16

Authors

Khalid Mehmood Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China Author
Hamaad Raza Ahmad Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 38040 Author
Abbas Ali Abid Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China Author
Ping Guo Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21743/pjaec/2018.12.16

Keywords:

Size segregated pollutants; PM10; PM2.5; Vehicular emissions; Urban; Peri-urban

Abstract

In recent years, Pakistan has experienced severe and persistent air pollution associated with urbanization and industrialization and it has substantial affects on ecosystem and air quality. In urban and peri-urban areas, maximum TSP concentrations were observed at Satiana Road (987 μm^-3) and Chak 215 RB (1123 μg m^-3). Similarly, maximum PM10 concentrations were recorded at Gutte Wala (782 μg m^-3) and Chak 215 RB (893 μg m^-3), while maximum PM2.5 concentrations were observed at Madina Food Mill (621 μg m^-3) and Chak 215 RB (654 μg m^-3). The statistical results suggested that there were significant difference between urban and peri-urban areas. Majority of size segregated pollutants including TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 were found with higher values than the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), World Health Organization (WHO) and National Environmental Quality Standards for Pakistan (NEQS-Pak) limits for both urban and peri-urban areas. However, only 4%, 8% and 4% for TSP, PM10 and PM2.5, respectively in urban and in peri-urban samples for TSP (40%) PM10 (60%) and PM2.5 (44%) were found under prescribed guidelines. Furthermore, we have also compared metropolitan
size segregated pollutant (PM10) with other Pakistan and Asian metropolitan’s cities and purposed a control strategy to improve air quality in Faisalabad.