Black carbon pollution high on Hyderabad outskirts too

HYDERABAD: Forget the core city of Hyderabad; even peripheral or peri-urban areas are now under the threat of poisonous black carbon particulate matter. A research study conducted in about two dozen areas abutting Hyderabad has revealed high concentration of black carbon in the atmosphere — an indication of unchecked use of fossil fuel at homes and increase in vehicular traffic along the outer ring road (ORR).





If findings of the study are any indication, areas around Hyderabad are now choked in carbon pollutants. Those near ORR are highly affected.

An international team of researchers studied the particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) and black carbon levels in the atmosphere in peri-urban Hyderabad for two seasons at 23 different locations on a daily and hourly basis. The study revealed high concentration of black carbon. However, pollution in Hyderabad is not as high as in north India.

Black carbon pollution is notorious for ailments related to lungs and other vital organs. It is the cause of slow death in people exposed to high levels of fossil fuel emissions. Apart from damaging the health of humans and animals, black carbon can also play havoc with the climate. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States, black carbon pollution is associated with even birth defects and “contributes to climate change causing changes in patterns of rain and clouds”.

The international team of researchers was drawn from Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Spain, Universität Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Spain, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, USA. The team developed land use regression (LUR) models for PM 2.5 and black carbon in peri-urban Hyderabad. The study was also based on local built environment survey and satellite imagery.

The study published in the recent issue of the scientific journal, Science of the Total Environment, revealed that PM 2.5 and black carbon models reached 58% and 79% of explained variability. Data for the study was collected as part of the Cardiovascular Health Effects of Air pollution in Telangana (CHAI) project.

Annual mean pollution level was 34.1 micro grams per metre cube for PM 2.5 and 2.7 micro grams per metre cube for black carbon. The study indicated that even areas outside Hyderabad are not free of black carbon pollution.