Spatio-temporal PM2.5 trends of India
Particulate matter data from most of the examined air monitoring stations from the Indian States showed more than 50 µg/m3 annual average from 2019 to 2022 (Table 2).
The high, varied, and distinguished fluctuating PM2.5 trends from the selected air monitoring stations of Indian states were observed in Fig. 1.
Only a few air monitoring stations showed less than 50 µg/m3 and worldwide accepted PM2·5 annual level for instance Sikulpuikawn, Aizawl, Mizoram PCB, air monitoring station PM2·5 level was observed as no data available in 2019, 8 µg/m3 in 2020, 10 µg/m3 in 2021 and 12 µg/m3 in 2022. PWD Junction, Kohima, Nagaland not available in 2019, not available in 2020, 28 µg/m3 in 2021, and 32 µg/m3 in 2022 (Fig. 2).
While some other air monitoring stations were not or partially functional during this time period, (such as Lumpyngngad, Shillong, PCB from Meghalaya was not functional in 2019 and 2020), later in 2021, the average PM2.5 concentration was observed at 20 µg/m3, and 18 µg/m3 in 2022. Similar data from Jawahar Nagar, Puducherry PPCC, which was not functional or installed during 2019-20 but showed a concentration of 39 µg/m3 in 2021 and 40 µg/m3 in 2022. A moderate to significant reduction in the PM2.5 level has been observed in 2020 as compared to the 2019 PM2.5 level but gradually increased in 2021 and almost reverse like 2019 at the end of 2022.
Table 2. Annual average PM2·5 μg/m3 from 2019 to 2022 in various states, Cities, and Union territories of India
Indian State/ Union territory (IUT)
|
Air Monitoring Stations locations
|
Annual average PM2·5 μg/m3
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
GVM Corporation, Visakhapatnam
|
60 ± 2
|
55
|
59
|
62
|
|
Assam
|
Pan Bazaar, Guwahati – APCB
|
78
|
62
|
73
|
84
|
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
Naharlagun - APSPCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
27
|
25
|
|
Bihar
|
DRM Office Danapur, Patna
|
87
|
60
|
71
|
80
|
|
Chandigarh (Indian union territory)
|
CPCC, Sector 22, Chandigarh
|
91
|
73
|
88
|
95
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
Mangala, Bilaspur - NTPC
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
41
|
|
Delhi (Indian union territory)
|
Anand Vihar, Delhi - DPCC
|
169
|
98
|
142
|
188
|
|
Gujarat
|
Maninagar, - GPCB, Ahmedabad
|
75
|
62
|
65
|
69
|
|
Haryana
|
Patti Mehar, Ambala – HSPCB, Ambala
|
98
|
76
|
95
|
109
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
HIMUDA Complex Phase-1, Baddi – HPPCB
|
92
|
58
|
75
|
87
|
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
Rajbagh, Srinagar - JKSPCB
|
55
|
30
|
61
|
73
|
|
Jharkhand
|
Tata Stadium, Jorapokhar - JSPCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Karnataka
|
BTM Layout, CPCB, Bengaluru
|
86
|
70
|
72
|
78
|
|
Kerala
|
Vyttila, PCB, Kochi
|
95
|
69
|
81
|
98
|
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
T T Nagar, MPPCB, Bhopal
|
83
|
64
|
69
|
71
|
|
|
Maharashtra
|
Borivali East, - IITM, Mumbai
|
92
|
70
|
72
|
77
|
|
Manipur
|
Manipur University, Imphal - Manipur PCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
60
|
|
Meghalaya
|
Lumpyngngad, Shillong - Meghalaya PCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
20
|
18
|
|
Mizoram
|
Sikulpuikawn, Aizawl - Mizoram PCB
|
NA
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
|
Nagaland
|
PWD Juction, Kohima - NPCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
28
|
32
|
|
Odisha
|
GM Office, OSPCB, Brajrajnagar
|
51
|
45
|
49
|
53
|
|
Puducherry (UT)
|
Jawahar Nagar, Puducherry - PPCC
|
NA
|
NA
|
39
|
40
|
|
Punjab
|
Punjab Agricultural University, - PPCB, Ludhiana
|
117
|
78
|
91
|
123
|
|
Rajasthan
|
Police Commissionerate, RSPCB, Jaipur
|
165
|
99
|
138
|
184
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Alandur Bus Depot, - CPCB, Chennai
|
68
|
52
|
57
|
60
|
|
Telangana
|
Bollaram Industrial Area, - TSPCB, Hyderabad
|
83
|
65
|
68
|
71
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Gomti Nagar, - UPPCB, Lucknow
|
93
|
69
|
77
|
89
|
|
Uttarakhand
|
Doon University, Dehradun - UKPCB
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
90.7
|
|
West Bengal
|
Rabindra Bharati University, -WBPCB, Kolkata
|
100
|
88
|
98
|
102
|
|
Total India
|
|
91.9
|
67.15
|
80.05
|
92.65
|
|
Source: * Source: CPBB : https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI_India/
NA: Not Available
|
|
The highest annual average PM2.5 concentration was reported from air monitoring stations such as Anand Vihar, DPCC, Delhi 169 µg/m3 in 2019, 98 µg/m3 in 2020, 142 µg/m3 in 2021, 188 µg/m3 in 2022 ; RSPCB, Jaipur, Rajasthan 165 µg/m3 in 2019, 99 µg/m3 in 2020, 138 µg/m3 in 2021, 184 µg/m3 in 2022; PPCB, Ludhiana, Punjab which is 117 µg/m3 in 2019, 78 µg/m3 in 2020, 91 µg/m3 in 2021, 123 µg/m3 in 2022; Patti Mehar, HSPCB, Ambala, Haryana 98 µg/m3 in 2019 76 µg/m3 in 2020, 95 µg/m3 in 2021, 109 µg/m3 in 2022; WBPCB, Kolkata, West Bengal 100 µg/m3 in 2019, 88 µg/m3 in 2020, 98 µg/m3 in 2021, 102 µg/m3 in 2022; Sector 22, Chandigarh 91 µg/m3 in 2019, 73 µg/m3 in 2020, 88 µg/m3 in 2021, 95 µg/m3 in 2022; UPPCB, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 93 µg/m3 in 2019, 69 µg/m3 in 2020, 77 µg/m3 in 2021, 89 µg/m3 in 2022. While some air monitoring stations in various Indian states were later installed, therefore PM2.5 data were completely or partially absent during this period. For instance, Jharkhand (No data available) Chhattisgarh (Only 2022 PM2.5 41 µg/m3), Arunachal Pradesh (27 µg/m3 in 2021, and 25 µg/m3 in 2022), Manipur (60 µg/m3 in 2022), and Doon University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand (90 µg/m3 in 2022). Thus, the present study estimated an overall annual average of PM2.5 from 2019 to 2022 from the selected and functional air monitoring stations. The compiled regional particulate matter data showed that India’s PM2.5 fluctuated in annual concentration, which was observed as 91.9 µg/m3 in 2019, 67.15 µg/m3 in 2020, 80.05 µg/m3 in 2021 and 92.65 µg/m3 in 2022 (Fig. 3).
Current Global PM 2.5 concentration and satellite profile of dust and particulate pollutant map from 2019 to 2022.
Data related to Global temporal dust which includes PM2.5 and PM1.0 pollutants, were fetched from NASA's GIOVANNI, while updated PM2.5 worldwide levels were derived from the WHO's ambient air pollution database. Maps from the selected time range showed dust scattering patterns including PM1.0 and PM2.5 from 2019 to 2022 reached the highest in Africa (358 to 1431 µg/m3), the Middle East (180 to 894 µg/m3), and Asia, especially India, China and Pakistan (180–716 µg/m3) among the densest dust level in Asian countries (Fig. 4).
The dust scattering pattern, however, fluctuated according to seasons and is also seen in the Mexican Region of South America. The rest world's annual dust and PM2.5, and PM1.0 concentration was within the normal range of 3.35 µg/m3 (Fig. 4).
Similarly, the WHO's current worldwide PM2.5 specific profile showed African and Asian countries like Pakistan, India, China, Mongolia, and Bangladesh have extremely high PM2.5 levels, range 35 to 100 µg/m3 (Fig. 5).