SUMMER TRAINING REPORT

STATUS OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY AT BARDOWALI,

AGARTALA, WEST TRIPURA. (Commercial area)

Submitted by:
Name: Shubhrakanti Gope

ID. No.: 20IUT0060056

Semester: 6th
Year: 3rd
Department: B.Sc Chemistry
ICFAI UNIVERSITY TRIPURA

TRIPURA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (TSPCB)

PARIVESH BHAWAN, GORKHABASTI, PANDIT NEHRU COMPLEX,

PO: KUNJABAN

AGARTALA- 799006, WEST TRIPURA, INDIA.

Web. Tspcb.tripura.gov.in

EMAIL- tripuraspcb@gmail.com
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
With great pleasure, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and thanks to my parents for
the sincere support they have given me.

I would like to also thank the Lab division of Tripura State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB)
for the care and support they gave me all throughout the training period. I choose this
moment to acknowledge their contribution gratefully for taking part in the useful decision
and giving necessary advice and arrange all facilities to make our training easier.

I again thank my fellow trainees for their good cooperation during the training.

I would like to thank the training and internship coordinators and also the faculty members of
the B.Sc Chemistry department for the good cooperation they had with me during the training
period.

Finally, I would like to thank our Hod Maam Dr. Swarnali Nath Chowdhury and also our co-
ordinator Dr. Amitava Sharma. I would like to thank all the respective members who have
directly or in directly contributed to the successful completion of our training.

Thanking you
Introduction to Air and Air quality
Air quality assessments inform air quality management activities by providing an
understanding of how pollutant sources, emission characteristics, topography, and
meteorological conditions contribute to local air quality.

Air quality is influenced by a variety of factors and is a complex issue. The term air quality
refers to the degree to which the air in a particular place is free from pollutants. Air pollutants
are substances present in the atmosphere at concentrations above their normal background
levels which can have a measurable effect on humans, animals and vegetation. AQI values at
and below 100 are generally considered to be satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100,
air quality is considered to be unhealthy, at first for members of populations at greatest risk of
a health effect, then for the entire population as AQI get higher (greater than 150). The AQI
is a nationally uniform color-coded index for reporting and forecasting daily air quality. It is
used report on the most common ambient air pollutants that are regulated under the Clean Air
act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO),
nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). The AQI tells the public how clean or
polluted the air is and how to avoid health effects associated with poor air quality. Air
pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or
biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household
combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources
of air pollution.

Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone,
NOx and SOx. Outdoor and indoor pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and is an
important source of morbidity and mortality. From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside
the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. The combined effects of
ambient (outdoor) and household pollutants result in increased mortality from chronic and
obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory health of the population will
be, both long and short term.

Depending upon the process of formation, the air pollutants are generally classified as
primary and secondary pollutants. The primary pollutants are directly generated from the
sources whereas the secondary pollutants are produced from the primary pollutants by
complex chemical reaction.
Aims and Objectives
The present study aims to determine the impact of air quality at Bardowali (Commercial area)
in Agartala, Tripura in the month of June 2023 by analyzing particulate matter (PM2.5 and
PM10), Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Sulphur dioxide (SO₂).

The present study initiated with the following objectives:

 To monitor the ambient air quality at an area in West Tripura district based on air
quality parameters such as PM-10, PM-2.5, Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) and Nitrogen
Dioxide (NO₂) to assess the air pollution load.

 To compare the measured air quality parameters against the ambient air standards and
to assess extent of violation.

 To compare the measured air quality data at various air pollution potential areas of
West Tripura district

 Identification of the probable sources of air pollution in the study areas.

 To propose some mitigation measures to control the air pollution (if any).

 To create the awareness about air pollution and through availability of monitoring
data.

Materials and Methodologies

From the present study, a location in West Tripura is selected for air quality
monitoring. Location and information of the sampling site is given in Table-1

TABLE-1

Sl. No. Location Date of Monitoring Area Category

1. Bordowali, Agartala. 16-06-2023 Commercial

1. Sampling duration
Sampling at location was done for 24 hours for the following primary
parameters

(i) Respirable Suspended Pariculate Matter (PM-10 and PM2.5).

(ii) Sulphur dioxide

(iii) Nitrogen dioxide.

2. Sampling methods
The sampling procedures for measurement of PM-10, PM-2.5, NO₂ and SO₂
were according to the internationally accepted standard technique through use of
Respirable Dust Sampler manufactured by M/s ENVIROTECH APM 460DXNL,
with gaseous sampling attachments were used for sampling purposes. In the sampler,
air borne particulates are trapped by sucking air through a pre-weighed glass fibre
filter paper (Whatman GF/A) by an electric blower at a high flow rate of 0.8 to 1.2
cubic meters per minute. The air passing through the filter is monitored by measuring
the pressure drop across an Orifice plate placed between the filer holder and the
blower by a calibrated manometer. A time totalizer records the duration of sampling.
The mass of particulates collected is measured using a balance. The gaseous sampling
is performed through an attachable subsidiary unit by diverting only about 0.4 liters
per minute (LPM) of air flow which is measured by a rotameter. The system is
provided with a set of four 35ml impingers. A gas manifold with separate flow control
valves allows independent flow rates to be set in individual impingers. However, two
sets of two impingers in series each with 20ml of appropriate absorbing solutions are
used for sampling SO₂ and NO₂. Generally sampling is done over a period of 24 hours
in three shifts each of eight hours duration. Shift wise monitoring data sheets are used
for recording the particulates. The method of sampling and analysis of NO₂; is as per
IS 5182 (Part VI, 1975). However, the method for sampling and analysis of SO₂ is as
per IS 5182 (Part II, 1969).
Results
The findings from the Air Quality Monitoring are shown in the table 2.

Table 2: Ambient Air Quality data (for 24 hours) at Bardowali.

Location PM-10 PM-2.5 SO₂ NO₂

(µg/m³) (µg/m³) (µg/m³) (µg/m³)

Bardowali
350.9 25.2 9.28 11.5

Discussion
Bardowali area (Commercial)

The average 24 hourly concentrations of PM-10 is 350.9 µg/m³ which is three times beyond
the prescribed standard limit of CPCB, 2009. The concentration of PM 2.5 is 25.2 µg/m³
which is with in the prescribed standard limit. Concentrations of Sulphur dioxide and
Nitrogen dioxide found at this location were within the prescribed limit.
 CONCLUSION
The air quality monitoring is giving the holistic view of air pollutions level in West Tripura
district. The ambient Air Quality Monitoring was assessed and measured at a location in
West Tripura district was selected for quality air monitoring which consist of only
Commercial zone.

The air quality data for this location is present in Table-2. From the table it is observed that
the average values of SO₂ and NO₂ were within the prescribed standard value in the sampling
location. The average value of PM-10 was beyond the prescribed standard value but PM-2.5
is still under the prescribed standard value in the studied location.

Above observation showing that, the commercial area in West Tripura district is having more
PM-10 and PM-2.5 is still under the prescribed standard concentration than the NAAQS
(National Ambient Air Quality Standards), 2009.

From the result, it is evident that for the time being, the ambient air quality at Bardowali,
Agartala is satisfactory for human and environment except respirable suspended particulate
matters (PM-10 and PM- 2.5) which is a matter of grave concern and hence, does need
special attention from the policy makers and all the citizens. For the air maintenance in
commercial areas we can check the smoke emission of the public transport vehicles, for the
residential areas we can assess walking and cycling interventions to minimize the ambient air
pollution and raise importance of green space and health.