The Toxic Air of Delhi is Now Less Harmful

A recent study has found that the ultrafine particulates constituting Delhi’s air which are mainly PM2.5 and PM10 are comparatively less harmful chemical components. The study was undertaken by Scientist Gufran Beig who was a project director of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). It was conducted by him last December.

He said that the toxicity of air is decided by chemical characterization of particulates which means what they are made chemically. The analysis of SAFAR informed that around 7.6 percent of the particulates are constituted of black carbon (BC). Around 7 percent hold is taken by Sulphate (SO4) particles. The larger presence of Sulphate would have resulted in higher toxicity of Delhi’s air. The findings by the agency that comes under Ministry of Earth Sciences reported that major share of the particulates are around 38 percent which are made up of Aluminium and Silicon Oxides. Both of them are present in Earth’s crust and are not as harmful as BC and SO4.

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: www.ndtv.com