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Can We Vacuum Our Air Pollution Problem Using Smog Towers?

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Can We Vacuum Our Air Pollution Problem Using Smog Towers? atmosphere Communication Can We Vacuum Our Air Pollution Problem Using Smog Towers? Sarath Guttikunda * and Puja Jawahar Urban Emissions, New Delhi 110019, India; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 29 July 2020; Accepted: 28 August 2020; Published: 29 August 2020 Abstract: In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India issued a notification to all the states in the National Capital Region of Delhi to install smog towers for clean air and allocated INR 36 crores (~USD 5.2 million) for a pilot. Can we vacuum our air pollution problem using smog towers? The short answer is “no”. Atmospheric science defines the air pollution problem as (a) a dynamic situation where the air is moving at various speeds with no boundaries and (b) a complex mixture of chemical compounds constantly forming and transforming into other compounds. With no boundaries, it is unscientific to assume that one can trap air, clean it, and release into the same atmosphere simultaneously. In this paper, we outline the basics of atmospheric science to describe why the idea of vacuuming outdoor air pollution is unrealistic, and the long view on air quality management in Indian cities. Keywords: India; Delhi; air quality; controls; smog towers; filtration systems 1. Introduction Air pollution is a major health risk worldwide—outdoor PM2.5 (particulate matter) and Ozone pollution accounted for an estimated 3 million and 0.5 million premature deaths, respectively, and household (indoor) air pollution for an additional 1.6 million premature deaths [1]. Corresponding numbers for India are 680,000 for outdoor PM2.5, 145,000 for outdoor ozone, and 480,000 for household pollution. Similar estimates were presented by researchers and scientists from the Indian institutes [2–6]. In all the studies, the very young and the old are particularly vulnerable. The year 2020 is an aberration in the pollution trends, with the COVID-19 lockdowns and a range of restrictions for all the sectors [7]. Across India, ambient air pollution levels improved as much as 50% compared to the annual trends for the same period in the previous year [8]. A summary of the data from all the cities with at least one continuous air monitoring station is included in the Supplementary Materials. Following the pandemic, epidemiological work on COVID-19 patients suggests that the risk of mortality is higher among the population exposed to chronic PM2.5 and NO2 pollution [9,10]. One key lesson from the COVID-19 lockdowns worldwide, is that air pollution can be reduced locally and globally by reducing the emissions at the sources. This was witnessed in the data from the ground-based monitors worldwide and satellite retrievals over India, China, Italy, and the United States [11–13]. The measures enacted during the lockdowns are unprecedented, but the results are evidence that we eventually need to control the emissions at the sources for “clean air”. While the messages are clear that high air pollution is the leading cause of health impacts and “clean air” is only possible by addressing the emissions at the sources, in November 2019, the Supreme Court of India issued a notification to all the states in the National Capital Region of Delhi (NCR) to install smog towers. These giant filtering systems are being pursued as a control mechanism only in the absence of real action to control the emissions at the sources and the continuing incidence of high air pollution levels in Delhi and other major cities. Examples discussed in the notification for replication Atmosphere 2020, 11, 922; doi:10.3390/atmos11090922 www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere Atmosphere 2020, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 13 While the messages are clear that high air pollution is the leading cause of health impacts and “clean air” is only possible by addressing the emissions at the sources, in November 2019, the Supreme Court of India issued a notification to all the states in the National Capital Region of Delhi (NCR) to install smog towers. These giant filtering systems are being pursued as a control mechanism Atmosphereonly in the2020 absence, 11, 922 of real action to control the emissions at the sources and the continuing incidence2 of 11 of high air pollution levels in Delhi and other major cities. Examples discussed in the notification for replication are (a) a 100 m high purification tower in Xi’an, China [14] and (b) experimental large are (a) a 100 m high purification tower in Xi’an, China [14] and (b) experimental large vacuum cleaners vacuum cleaners called Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Units (WAYU) were deployed in the called Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Units (WAYU) were deployed in the cities of Delhi, cities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with no operational details, and (c) a smaller version of the Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with no operational details, and (c) a smaller version of the Xi’an smog tower Xi’an smog tower in Delhi (Figure 1). The latter designs also include “mist makers” to initiate in Delhi (Figure1). The latter designs also include “mist makers” to initiate coagulation and induce wet coagulation and induce wet scavenging of the particles. The units installed in Delhi and Mumbai scavenging of the particles. The units installed in Delhi and Mumbai were designed by the National were designed by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Indian Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai) Institute of Technology (Mumbai) and inaugurated by the then Minister of Environment [15]. and inaugurated by the then Minister of Environment [15]. (a) (b) (c) Figure 1. Examples of ambient filtering systems: (a) a smog tower from Xi’an, China, (Image edited Figure 1. Examples of ambient filtering systems: (a) a smog tower from Xi’an, China, (Image edited from South China Morning Post), (b) a Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Unit (WAYU) in Delhi, from South China Morning Post), (b) a Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Unit (WAYU) in Delhi, and (c) a smaller version of Xi’an’s filtering system in Delhi. and (c) a smaller version of Xi’an’s filtering system in Delhi. A fundamental question remains, “can we vacuum our air pollution problem using smog towers and mistA fundamental makers”? question The short remains, answer “can is “no”. we vacuum The idea our of air removing pollution what problem is already using smog in the towers air is unrealistic,and mist makers”? given the The dynamic short natureanswer ofis air“no”. pollution, The idea which of removing moves and what transforms is already simultaneously. in the air is Inunrealistic, this paper, given we outlinethe dynamic the basics nature of of atmospheric air pollution, science which to moves describe and why transforms the idea simultaneously. of vacuuming outdoorIn this paper, air pollution we outline is unscientific, the basics of and atmosphe the longric view science on airto describe quality management why the idea in of Indian vacuuming cities. outdoor air pollution is unscientific, and the long view on air quality management in Indian cities. In In India, PM2.5 is considered the main criteria pollutant for environmental compliance and public health,India, PM and2.5 allis considered of the discussion the main in thiscriteria paper pollutant is about for PM. environmental compliance and public health, and all of the discussion in this paper is about PM. 2. The Sciences 2. The Sciences The definition of atmospheric science can be explained via the three basic sciences—Mathematics, Physics,The anddefinition Chemistry. of atmospheric science can be explained via the three basic sciences— Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. 2.1. Mathematics 2.1. Mathematics Mathematics relates to the “quantification” of the problem. In a box model version of a city (FigureMathematics2), the size ofrelates the city to the and “quantification” the height of the of inversion the problem. layer willIn a determinebox model the version amount of ofa city air present(Figure 2), at anythe size given of instance.the city and The the inversion height of layer the isinversion an invisible layer layer will ofdetermine air, which the determines amount of theair totalpresent volume at any of given air available instance. for The horizontal inversion and layer vertical is an mixing. invisible This layer height of isair, determined which determines by prevalent the surfacetotal volume temperature, of air airavailable temperature for horizontal at the ground and andvertical upper mixing. layers, humidityThis height levels, is determined and land cover, by allprevalent varying surface in time temperature, and space. There air temperature is seasonality at associatedthe ground with and the upper inversion layers, layer—highest humidity levels, during and theland summer cover, all months varying and in lowest time and during space. the winterThere is months. seasonality This isassociated a typical trendwith the for mostinversion of the layer— inland cities in India [16]. The coastal cities like Chennai and Mumbai experience lesser variation across the seasons due to the constant presence of land–sea breeze. Atmosphere 2020, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 13 highest during the summer months and lowest during the winter months. This is a typical trend for most of the inland cities in India [16]. The coastal cities like Chennai and Mumbai experience lesser Atmospherevariation2020 across, 11, 922the seasons due to the constant presence of land–sea breeze. 3 of 11 (a) (b) Figure 2. Depiction of a box model pollution calculation with varying inversion heights (a) for summer Figure 2. Depiction of a box model pollution calculation with varying inversion heights (a) for months and (b) for winter months. summer months and (b) for winter months. Pollution (in the units of µg/m3) is defined as mass over volume, where mass is the emission load 3 and volumePollution is the(in amountthe units of of air μ present.g/m ) is Indefined the summer as mass months, over volume, a higher where volume mass of airis meansthe emission more roomload and for lateralvolume and is the vertical amount mixing, of air and present.
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