International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 4(10), 30-33, October (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 30 Studies on Air quality of Maharashtra, India Lomate Varsha U UGC-Human Resource Development Centre Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 29th July 2015, revised 2nd September 2015, accepted 12th October 2015 AbstractEnvironmental pollution is considered now as a global phenomena that attracts the attention of human beings for its severer long term consequences. Various sources of pollutants like NO2, SO2 that have altered composition of the air must be measured to determine air quality. Monitoring of the pollution is first and the most important step of air pollution control. We exposed to outdoor and indoor air pollution. Repeated exposure may damage lung tissue of human being, it also has harmful effects on plants, and animals. Even air pollution can deteriorate buildings and monuments. On this background in the present research paper the data published by MPCB is analysed and results are drawn. Keywords: Air, pollution, quality, pollutant. Introduction About 90% air we inhaled is gaseous nitrogen and oxygen along with trace amounts of other gases, minute droplets of other liquids and tiny particles of various solids. Many of those particles are classified as air pollutants. Most of them come from various vehicles, some from factories, and power plants. Other sources of air pollution are cigarette smoking, use of chemical cleaners and volatiles, burning of fossil fuel, and vehicles are responsible for half of the urban air pollution. We exposed to outdoor and indoor air pollution. Repeated exposure may damage lung tissue of human being, plants, and animals. Even air pollution can deteriorate buildings and monuments. A sulphur dioxide is a primary air pollutant and its source is human activities and sometimes even natural events are responsible for it. As a result of chemical reaction of primary air pollutants, secondary air pollutants like sulphuric acid are produced in the atmosphere. Amount of precipitation along with relative size of the particle also influence length of time for which suspended air particulate matter remain in the atmosphere of various areas. We have many defense mechanisms in our body for various diseases like for diseases caused by exposure to different air pollutants we have a filtration system in the form of hairs in the nose to filter out large particles. Even though mortality is due to exposure to fine particles arises because of combustion activity. It has become an important environmental risk factor for lung cancer and cardiopulmonary disturbances. The presence and concentration of air pollutants in the environment determines its quality. Air quality means the state of air around us. Clean, unpolluted and clear air represents good air quality. It is absolutely required to maintain health of all living things like wildlife, human beings, and nonliving things such as vegetation, water and soil. However natural and human activities are responsible to release many air pollutants in high concentrations in air and make quality of air poor.Daily activities like driving vehicles, wood burning shows bad effect on quality of air. Air present in indoor as well as outdoor environment. Quality of air in outdoor environment is referred as ambient air quality. It is measured at ground level and not at the source of pollution. Air quality of indoor environment is equally important issue. Air in the enclosed spaces like houses, hospitals, offices get polluted from various sources along with movement of pollutant from outdoor environment. sometimes indoor air quality becomes worst and dangerous due to activities like tobacco smoking, release of toxicants, chemicals etc. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) established on 7 September 1970 deals with all kinds of environment issues of Maharshtra. It functions under the administrative control of Environment Department of the Government of Maharashtra. MPCB monitors ambient air quality under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP) / particularly in Maharashtra under State Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program (SAMP) and Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) at Mumbai, Pune and Solapur. Material and Methods The data of the ambient air quality of six districts in Maharashtra for the year 2013-14 is collected from MPCB (from Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2014-15). Then it is analysed. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences _____________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 4(10), 30-33, October (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 31 Results and Discussion SO2 is probably most important among gaseous pollutants that generated from various activities including domestic burning, vehicular transport and wide varieties of industries. It is a main pollutant causing acid rain and also one of the main pollutant responsible for deterioration of the monuments. NO2 (oxides)arealso acidic gases and contribute to corrosion of materials, but their larger significance arises from their photochemical reactivity and consequent capability to produce carcinogens and very strong oxidants in atmosphere the main sources of air pollution is vehicles and industries. Air quality is monitored by MPCB at 77 stations located in 17 districts of Maharashtra. They take help of educational institutions for this monitoring. Table-1 and 2represents ambient air quality in six main cities of Maharashtra as minimum, maximum and average of the readings taken in case of Mumbai RSPM and NO2 emissions are decreased in 2014 compared to 2013.readings of Pune do not show any significant change in both the years. In Nashik quality readings did not changed significantly. In Aurangabad RSPM is increased in 2014 than 2013. Really Amravati do not show any change in 2013 and 2014. Nagpur also does not show noticeable change in the emissions of SO, NO, RSPM. Mumbai and Pune as per expectation shows SO2, NO2 emissions, RSPM maximum than all other cities Nashik and Aurangabad if compared are very near to each other just as in case with Amravati and Nagpur. RSPM become probably the most important air pollutant in India because of its relatively high concentrations. Graph 1 and 2 also shows high concentrations of RSPM in all six cities of Maharashtra. Conclusion Concentration of NO2 is more than the limit in Pune andMumbai during 2013 RSPM level is high in each of the six cities during 2013, Concentration of NO2 is more than the limit in pune andMumbai during 2014 but it is slightly decreased as compared to 2013. Concentration of SO2 is within limit in both the years in each city selected for sampling. RSPM has crossed the limit even in 2014 but the values are slightly decreased in 2014. Table-1 Ambient air quality in residential areas at major monitoring stations, during 2013 SO2 NO RSPM Limit 80 80 100 Station min max ave min max ave min max ave Mumbai (Sion) 2 81 09 24 268 117 20 428 138 Pune Swargate 10 45 19 14 114 44 13 188 71 Nashik NMC building 21 43 28 22 44 29 35 182 86 Aurangabad (CADA Office) 7 16 10 28 51 37 23 129 70 Amravati (Govt. College of Eng.) 5 15 11 6 16 12 35 110 82 Nagpur (Reg office of MPCB) 5 21 9 12 69 25 15 216 59 Source: MPCB g/m3 Microgram per cubic meter International Research Journal of Environment Sciences _____________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 4(10), 30-33, October (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 32 Table-2 Ambient air quality in residential areas at major monitoring stations, during 2014 SO NO RSPM Limit 80 80 100 Station Min Max Ave Min Max Ave Min Max Ave Mumbai (sion) 2 86 10 5 208 93 36 390 129 Pune Swargate 12 51 23 16 105 45 8 268 79 Nashik NMC building 5 34 25 16 46 27 34 138 73 Aurangabad ( CADA Office) 7 37 12 26 77 39 15 153 77 Amravati (govt. College of Eng.) 5 14 11 6 16 12 42 108 77 Nagpur (reg office of MPCB) 7 14 19 16 45 26 27 117 64 Source: MPCB g/m3 Microgram per cubic meter Figure-1 Values of NO, SO, RSPM during 2014 International Research Journal of Environment Sciences _____________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 4(10), 30-33, October (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 33 Figure-2 Values of NO2 , SO, RSPM during 2013 References http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=194704, (2015)http://www.bcairquality.ca/101/what-is-air-quality.html, (2015)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtra_Pollution_Control_Board, (2015) Abrar A., Sundas W., Perveen F. and Habib M., Air Quality Monitoring of some Gaseous Pollutants at selected points in Gullberg II, Lahore, Pakistan Int. Res. J. 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