Abstract

APPRAISAL OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STATUS IN HARIHARA TOWN OF DAVANGERE DISTRICT USING AMBIENT AIR QUALITY INDEX (AAQI)

Asharani and Suresh B.*

ABSTRACT

The present work was carried out to understand Ambient Air Quality Status (AAQS) of Harihara Town, Davangere district, Karnataka State, India. The sampling was done early morning hours (6am to 10am), in winter season (December 2015 to February 2016). The parameters selected for the study were PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 were measured according to NAAQS. The sampling of the pollutants was done by using High volume air sampler (RDS APM 460). The Ambient Air Quality Index (AAQI) is tool and used for calculate the concentration air pollutants to justify national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for a better management of air quality. Considering to the AAQI analytical and calculated data, at Harapanahalli Circle (A1) near Police Station the value of AAQI was found to be 112.06μg/m3, which is highest and according to NAAQS guidelines. The calculated value is unhealthy for sensitive locations. The SO2 concentration was shown below the permissible limit at all the stations. Total four stations, except all the stations are showing PM10 concentration above limit. PM2.5 is exceeding all the locations. In all the selected location SO2 and NOx were within in the permissible limit. The average Ambient Air quality index (AAQI) value gives us an idea that Harpanahalli Circle (A2, 112.06 during January) sampling location and AAQI Category is “severe air pollution group” during study period. In the entire study the AAQI was showing the light air pollution (49.29) in the Government Hospital location during the month of February.

Keywords: AAQI, air quality parameters, PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2.