NEW DELHI: A study conducted by a government agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) has stated that particulate matter that is talked about to be the harmful lement in the air of Delhi, is less harmful than it was being considered.
Project director of SAFAR Gufran Beig, reveals this from the results of a study undertaken last year in December.
According to a SAFAR analysis, in Delhi, around 7.6 per cent of the particulates are made of black carbon (BC). Sulphate (SO4) particles stand at around 7 per cent, the larger presence of which would have heightened the toxicity of Delhi's air.
"The presence of toxic components may be less, but we have to keep in mind the sheer abundance of particulate matter in Delhi's air. So the volume of particulates, which spikes periodically, may be negating the potential benefits of having less harmful chemical components," said Beig.
The agency, which comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has found that the major share of the particulates, around 38 per cent, are actually made of aluminium and silicon oxides, present on the earth's crust, which are not as harmful as BC or SO4.
BC or SO4 act as aggravating factors when present beyond 15-20 per cent, Beig said. In fact, in Mumbai, where the volume of pollutants is less compared to the national capital, the percentage of BC is on the higher side, he said.
The prescribed 24-hour-average of PM2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic metre while the same is 100 in case of PM10.
"To assess the actual impact of pollution on an individual, factoring in the chemical characterisation of pollutants is crucial. One should not jump to conclusion purely based on figures of particulates captured by monitoring stations," Beig said further.
Delhi had experienced a severe episode of smog last November when the Diwali fireworks had pushed pollution to an alarming level.