Urban Air Pollution Caused of Particulate Matter and Lead in the City of Chittagong-Bangladesh

Chittagong city is one of the largest and commercial cities of Bangladesh. Many industries are continuously producing particulate matters by their daily activity. Air pollution due to the PM has significant effects on asthma, allergy and other respiratory diseases. There is a great need to implement control measures in most of the megacities of the world to improve air quality and hence protect public health. Like many megacities in the world the ambient air quality of Chittagong is also being deteriorated day by day. Main sources of air pollution are particulate matter in this city are arising out emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields and fires. Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. Considering that, the current study plan was undertaken to measure the pollutants level in the air of different urban locations of Chittagong, the second largest city of Bangladesh. Atmospheric pollutants such particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10 and PM) and lead (Pb) were determined in Chittagong city. Eight different sampling stations, Muradpur Circle, WASA Circle, G.E.C Circle, Proborthak Circle, Chawk Bazar Circle, Alongkar Circle, New Market Circle and Oxygen Circle were selected for sample collection and observations. The objective of the study was to determine the concentrations of particulate matters and heavy metal lead (Pb) pollution to find out the variation of air pollutants in different locations of Chittagong city. The concentration of particulate matter pollutants was found more at highly traffic areas. The highest average concentration value of PM2.5, PM10, PM and Pb was observed at G.E.C Circle, Proborthak Circle Chawkbazar Circle and Oxygen Circle respectively. The lowest average concentration value of PM2.5, PM10, PM and Pb was found at Chawkbazar Circle, Alongkar Circle, Muradpur Circle and Proborthak Circle. The average results of particulate matters and trace metals have been compared to national and international standards. The value of PM2.5, PM10 in air of Chittagong city is higher than that of TLV value recommended by WHO and ECR’97 and 2005 amendment suggested standard. The elemental concentrations of lead (Pb) of ambient air that collected at different locations in Chittagong city is in the TLV. A strategic air quality management plan has been proposed.

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