Why we should have a universal air quality index?

Air pollution is known to be one of the major risk factors for premature morbidity and mortality globally, which are preventable. Therefore, the public is informed about air pollution through the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI represents integrated data of selected pollutants and produces a combined overall index for specific locations and time.

Temperature projections and heatwave attribution scenarios over India: A systematic review.

The average global temperature is rising due to anthropogenic emissions. Hence, a systematic approach was used to examine the projected impacts of rising global temperatures on heatwaves in India and provide insights into mitigation and adaptation strategies. With over 24,000 deaths attributed to heatwaves from 1992 to 2015, there is an urgent need to understand India's vulnerabilities and prepare adaptive strategies under various emission scenarios.

Health risk assessment of aerosol particles (PM and PM) during winter crop at the agricultural site of Delhi, India.

For the last few decades, air pollution in developing country like India is increasing, and it is a matter of huge concern due to its associated human health impacts. In this region, the burgeoning population, escalating urbanization and industrialization, has been cited as the major reason for such a high air pollution. The present study was carried out for health risk assessment of aerosol particles (PM and PM) and its associated heavy metals of an agriculture farm site at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) considered to be green urban area in Delhi, India.

Environmental impacts of Indian coal thermal power plants and associated human health risk to the nearby residential communities: A potential review.

Worldwide, harmful emissions from coal power plants cause many illnesses contribute to premature deaths burden. Despite its high impact on human health and being a major source of toxic pollutants, coal has been considered a component of global energy for decades. Hence, this work was envisaged to understand the rising environmental and multiple health issues from coal power plants.

Very high particulate pollution over northwest India captured by a high-density in situ sensor network.

Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM) is a cause of concern in cities and major emission regions of northern India. An intensive field campaign involving the states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi national capital region (NCR) was conducted in 2022 using 29 Compact and Useful PM Instrument with Gas sensors (CUPI-Gs).

Cross-sectional study protocol to assess the environmental exposure of endocrine disruptive chemicals: bisphenol-A and heavy metals in children.

Introduction: Endocrine-disruptors are exogenous compounds that interfere with the human biological system. Bisphenol-A and toxic ele-mental mixtures (e.g.

Understanding the influence of summer biomass burning on air quality in North India: Eight cities field campaign study.

Near real-time monitoring of major air pollutants, i.e., particulate matter (PM, PM, PM), trace gases (O, CO, NO, NO, NO, NH, CO, SO) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs: benzene, ethylbenzene, m-, p-xylene, o-xylene and toluene) along with climatological parameters was done in eight-cities field campaigns during the rabi (wheat) crop residue burning period in the northwest of Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region.

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in drinking water from Shiraz, Iran: a health risk assessment of samples.

The existence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water bodies has posed a menace to human health. Thus, water resources should be protected from PTEs, and their effect on the exposed population should be investigated. In the present investigation, the concentrations of PTEs such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and iron(Fe) in the drinking water of Shiraz, Iran, were determined for the first time.

The multiple value characteristics of fly ash from Indian coal thermal power plants: a review.

Coal-powered thermal plants are the primary source of energy production around the globe. More than half (56.89%) of the Indian power plants use coal for power production.

Application of machine learning approaches to predict the impact of ambient air pollution on outpatient visits for acute respiratory infections.

With a remarkable increase in industrialization among fast-developing countries, air pollution is rising at an alarming rate and has become a public health concern. The study aims to examine the effect of air pollution on patient's hospital visits for respiratory diseases, particularly Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI). Outpatient hospital visits, air pollution and meteorological parameters were collected from March 2018 to October 2021.

Identification of prominent airborne pollen in a city situated in foot-hills of Himalayas, Chandigarh, India.

Pollen allergy is considered one of the important critical thrust areas, as 20-30% of the world population suffers from allergic rhinitis. The increase in global surface temperature directly affects pollen physiological (e.g.

Evaluation of groundwater for drinking and irrigation applications concerning physicochemical and ionic parameters through multiple indexing approach: a case study around the industrial zone, Punjab, India.

The seasonal quality of groundwater and its appropriateness for drinking and irrigation were assessed using a multiple indexing approach in this study. Physicochemical and ionic parameters were examined in groundwater samples near the industrial zone of Rupnagar, Punjab. To assess groundwater quality, water quality index (WQI) and pollution index were used.

Occupational exposure to airborne pollen and associated health risks among gardeners: a perception-based survey.

Airborne pollen are considered a major trigger of respiratory diseases that causes morbidity and subsequently affects a person's quality of life (QOL). Outdoor workers, such as gardeners, florists, etc., are at greater risk of allergies due to continuous exposure to the high concentration of allergens.

Preventable mortality attributable to exposure to air pollution at the rural district of Punjab, India.

Air pollution has emerged as a leading global health risk in recent decades, where its health impacts are primarily focused on urban areas. In India, semi-urban and rural areas are also emerging as air pollution hotspots. As these regions are out of focus, the current study monitored air pollution (PM) at a rural district of Punjab in North India and attempted to study the associated health impacts.

Pollen allergy: Developing multi-sectorial strategies for its prevention and control in lower and middle-income countries.

Pollen allergy is considered a major public health problem that causes morbidity and subsequently affects a patient's quality of life. Pollen due to their large size cannot enter the thoracic regions of the respiratory tract but can affect the nasopharyngeal mucous membrane. At the same time, the submicronic-pollen particles can act as respirable particles reaching deeper into the upper airways leading to exacerbation of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other allergic reactions.

Distribution of heavy metals in surface soil near a coal power production unit: potential risk to ecology and human health.

Coal thermal power plants are the dominant factor in producing various hazardous elements in surrounding surface soil, resulting in a significant human health hazard. In the current study, the seasonal (pre- and post-monsoon) concentration of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in surface soil around coal power production unit was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The possible health risks throughout multiple exposure routes, i.

COVID-19 pandemic: What can we learn for better air quality and human health?

The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in improved air quality in many cities across the world. With the objective of what could be the new learning from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns for better air quality and human health, a critical synthesis of the available evidence concerning air pollution reduction, the population at risk and natural versus anthropogenic emissions was conducted. Can the new societal norms adopted during pandemics, such as the use of face cover, awareness regarding respiratory hand hygiene, and physical distancing, help in reducing disease burden in the future? The use of masks will be more socially acceptable during the high air pollution episodes in lower and middle-income countries, which could help to reduce air pollution exposure.

Seasonal variations in carbonaceous species of PM aerosols at an urban location situated in Indo-Gangetic Plain and its relationship with transport pathways, including the potential sources.

The study examines the variation in organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM concentration at an urban location of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) to understand the impact of seasonality and regional crop residue burning activities. Seasonal cluster analysis of backward air masses and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis was performed to identify seasonal transport pathways and potential source regions of carbonaceous aerosols. The mean PM level during the study period was 57 ± 41.

COVID-19 pandemic and sudden rise in crop residue burning in India: issues and prospects for sustainable crop residue management.

The seasonal burning of crop residue significantly affects the environment, leading to poor air quality over Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India. Hence, there have been significant efforts to minimize crop residue burning through policy, innovations, and awareness measures. However, an abrupt increase in paddy residue burning was observed over IGP during 2020.

Influence of meteorological parameters and air pollutants on the airborne pollen of city Chandigarh, India.

Pollen, climatic variables and air pollutants coexist in nature with the potential to interact with one another and play a crucial role in increasing allergic diseases. The current study evaluates the influence of meteorological parameters and air pollutants on the airborne pollen in an urban city, Chandigarh, situated in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Airborne pollen monitoring was done following Spanish Aerobiological Network guidelines and dynamics of daily total pollen and six most abundant taxa were studied from June 2018 to June 2020.

PM mediated alterations in the in vitro human granuloma and its effect on reactivation of mycobacteria.

Exposure to particulate matter pollutant PM diminishes the immune response to mycobacterial antigens relevant to contain the infection in the granuloma, thus leading to reactivation of latent bacilli. The present study was therefore designed based on the hypothesis that exposure to PM affects the granuloma formation and reactivation of latent mycobacterial bacilli contained in the granuloma. For the sampling of PM, based on initial standardisations, Teflon filter was selected over the quartz filter.

Five probable factors responsible for the COVID-associated mucormycosis outbreak in India.

The second wave of COVID-19 due to the delta variant (B.1.617.