A global perspective and Indian schema of the current spatiotemporal variations and trends in ambient fine particulate pollutants (PM 2.5) concentration

Abstract

Abstract PM2.5 concentration in India is severely high in many cities, especially in the Indo-Gangetic plains. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional air quality monitoring system has been improved under the new National Clean Air Program (NCAP) but the most concerned pollutant in the country is related to PM2.5. The available data are insufficient to evaluate the stable and post-pandemic air quality condition of India and its improvement The present study comprised data on the PM2.5 average of the last four years (2019 to 2022) from the most selected air monitoring stations of Indian states. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), National Air Quality Index (NAQI), Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in non-Attainment Cities (PRANA), and international air quality databases such as NASA’s GIOVANNI and WHO’s ambient air pollution databases were incorporated to evaluate India’s current worldwide condition and potential reduction in PM2.5 concentration. Yearly athematic averages of the collected data were used to interpret the outcomes. The results suggested that the average concentration of PM2.5 of selected air monitoring stations in the last four years was 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. National Capital Delhi showed the highest PM2.5 level followed by North Indian States like Punjab and Rajasthan.