Open AccessAmbient Air Quality of Karachi City as Reflected by Atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM10) Concentrations
Author(s) -
Durdana Rais Hashmi,
Akhtar Shareef
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
pakistan journal of scientific and industrial research. series a: physical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2223-2559
pISSN - 2221-6413
DOI - 10.52763/pjsir.phys.sci.59.3.2016.173.178
Subject(s) - particulates , environmental science , air quality index , aerosol , mass concentration (chemistry) , air pollution , road dust , industrial city , city centre , heavy traffic , atmospheric sciences , geography , environmental engineering , physical geography , environmental chemistry , meteorology , industrial zone , water resource management , chemistry , organic chemistry , geology , civil engineering , archaeology , engineering
The present study examines the variation of ambient aerosol (PM10) concentrations in Karachi, city. Samples were collected from ten different locations, representative of urban background, residential, traffic and industrial areas from 2007 to 2011. At each location, PM10 was measured continuously from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm at local time. The maximum 10 h average particulate matter (PM10) mass concentrations were found at Tibet Centre (440.1mg/m3) and minimum at PCSIR Campus (21.7mg/m3) during 2008. A rising trend during 2008 may be due to the civil works for bridges and extension of roads at different locations in Karachi. The results also suggest that urban traffic and industrial areas appeared to have higher PM10 concentration than residential and background areas.