Academia Journal of Environmetal Science 7(3): 001-008, March 2019 DOI: 10.15413/ajes.2019.0106 ISSN: ISSN 2315-778X ©2019 Academia Publishing Research Paper Air quality monitoring and its relation to potential health impacts in green spaces / parks and playgrounds in Karachi with the view of air quality index (AQI) Accepted 30th March, 2019 ABSTRACT Monitoring of ambient air quality parameters such as PM10, SO2, CO and NO2 were carried out at nineteen selected green spaces / parks and playgrounds in DurdanaRais Hashmi1*, Akhtar Shareef1, S. residential, industrial and commercial areas of Karachi city during the year, 2016. TalhaRehanQadri2, M.Azam3 and Razia Begum1 Concentrations of trace gases and particulate matter were found to be higher in commercial and industrial areas than the residential areas green spaces / parks 1Centre for Environmental Studies, PCSIR Labs Complex, Karachi, Pakistan and playgrounds. Further, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was also calculated for these 2Department of Geology,University of Karachi, sampling locations. AQI values showed poor and unhealthy pollution level for Karachi, Pakistan. commercial and industrial areas, and for residential areas moderate and good 3Department of Geography, Federal Urdu level of AQI values were shown. Similarly, with respect to the health effect due to University of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan. ambient air pollution in these areas, it was observed that, the commercial and industrial areas are comparatively more affected then the residential areas. *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. Tel: Key words: Green spaces, parks and playgrounds, trace gases, particulate matter, 92 0333 3307268. AQI. INTRODUCTION Air pollution is the introduction of harmful gases, oxides (NO and NO2 collectively represented as NOx), particulates, dust, smoke, biological molecules or other carbon monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), suspended particulate injurious materials in the atmosphere causing mortality matter (SPM), methane and non methane hydrocarbons and morbidity in plants, animals and human being. A and trace metals. pollutant can be of natural origin or man-made. Primary At present, particulate matter pollution is one of the most pollutants are usually emitted directly from any process, important issue in urban cities, not only produces adverse such as CO emitted from the vehicular exhaust and SO2 health effects, but reduces the atmospheric visibility and emitted from factories. Whereas, Secondary pollutants are also affect the status of cultural heritages (Van Grieken and not emitted directly rather they are formed in the air when Delalieux, 2004). Several epidemiological studies (Dockery primary pollutants react or interact to form O3, PAN, acid and Pope III , 2006; Anderson et al., 2005; Analitis, 2006) rain etc (Panda et al., 2010). Ambient air quality in the have shown a strong association between elevated atmosphere of Karachi city deteriorated due to rapid concentrations of inhalable particulate (PM10) and urbanization, unplanned industrialization, waste increased mortality and morbidity. As it can be absorbed incineration, uncontrolled increase of vehicles etc. It has into the lung tissues during breathing, even at low become an important environmental risk factor for lung concentrations create serious short-term and long-term cancer and cardiopulmonary disturbances (Ghose and effects on Human health. Short-term health effects link with Majee, 2001). According to the World Health Organization airborne particulate matter (PM) concentrations cause lung (WHO), urban air pollution is responsible for function disorder, hospital admissions and mortality, approximately 800,000 deaths annually around the globe whereas long-term health effects shows the incidence of (Maji et al., 2010). The most common air pollutants in the mortality due to respiratory diseases such as asthma, urban environment are Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen bronchitis and other cardio pulmonary disorders Academia Journal of Environmental Science; Hashmi et al. 002 (Sicard et al., 2011). temperate climate with a generally high relative humidity Gaseous pollutants have main harmful effects on health. that varies from 58% in December (the driest month) to These pollutants are responsible for changing the 85% in August (the wettest month). In winter, the average atmospheric chemistry and cause environmental damage. temperature of the city is about 21°C, while in summer it Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) form reaches up to 35°C. Karachi receives about 256 mm of acids through different chemical reactions in the average annual rainfall (Sajjad et al., 2010). atmosphere, and subsequently these acids deposited on Karachi is sea shore and a busy port encountering both land and ocean surfaces due to formation of acid rain. It is the sea and land breeze periodically. It is congested with a predicted that the increasing concentration of sulfur large number of motor vehicles, including both public and dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide private transportation. It has also a well define industrial (CO) in the atmosphere will contribute to global climate base, such as Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, Korangi change. Besides particulate matter, literature also suggests Industrial Area, Landhi Industrial Trading Estate, Northern that there is a strong relationship between higher By-pass Industrial area, Karachi Export Processing Zone, concentration of SO2 and NO2 and several health effects Bin Qasim and North Karachi industrial estate, located in (Curtis, 2006), such as cardiovascular diseases (Peters et the boundary of the city (Sajjad et al., 2010). There are al., 2004; Dockery, 2006), respiratory health effects such as about 20,000 small and large industrial units working in asthma and bronchitis (Burnett, 2005), and reproductive these industrial areas of Karachi city. Main industries are and developmental effects such as increased risk of textiles, pharmaceuticals, steel, and auto-mobiles. People preterm birth (Liu et al., 2003). Trace metals present in migrate from the outlying region due to the abundant suspended PM are considered to be a health hazard since employment and business opportunities in the city. they are readily absorbed by the lung tissues. Toxicological Vehicular emission, biomass, burning for cooking and brick in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that metals are kilns and industrial emissions around the Karachi city are harmful components of PM as they can cause different the main contributors of atmospheric pollution in Karachi. cardiovascular and lung diseases (Dominici 2006). The air quality index (AQI) is a scale to show or characterize the degree of ambient air pollution at a Ambient air monitoring particular monitoring location during a certain monitoring period (e.g., one, 8 or 24 h) due to the concentration of Sampling human activities that occur in cities. The main aim of AQI calculation is to inform the public about the risk of Sampling was carried out at ninteen different green spaces pollution level day to day and to prepare for precautionary / parks and playground, consisting of main roads, side road, measurement and regulate the safety measures for health round about, and open places along the busy roads of hazards. Generally, it is related with the pollutants range Karachi during 2016 for gaseous pollutants and PM10. and category describe as good, moderate, poor or Selected spaces / parks and playgrounds were hazardous in order to understand the meaning of AQI differentiated as Residential, Commercial and Industrial easily. In a simple way, AQI shows that ambient air is how areas of the Karachi’s environment. much polluted and what are the health hazards for the Monitoring of gaseous pollutants were carried out by UV citizens (Gurjar et al., 2008). Fluorescent SO2 Analyzer Model AF22 M,NO-NOx Analyzer The present study was carried out to estimate the level of Model AC 32M and Snifit CO Analyzer (Model 50). These atmospheric trace gases such as carbon monoxide, sulphur analyzers are considered as reliable for monitoring the dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in the pollution level. environment of Karachi city with reference to air quality PM10 samples were collected on glass fiber filters index (AQI) in the year of 2016. This AQI study describes (203×254 mm) using high volume air sampler with an the range of air quality and its associated health hazards to average flow rate of 1.0 m3/min. Eight hour sampling was provide public awareness. done in duplicate at each location during the year 2016. The high volume is considered a reliable instrument for measuring the weight of PM10 in ambient air (USEPA— MATERIALS AND METHODS Method 40 CFR). These locations were chosen to reflect the influences Study area from residential, commercial, industrial areas regarding the low, moderate and heavy traffic sources. This was done Karachi lies between 24°45’N in longitude and 66°37’E in with an intention to get better representation of the city. latitude. It has an area of 3,640 km² and is located along the Eight hour sampling / monitoring was done in duplicate at cost of the Arabian Sea. It is the largest metropolitan city of each location during the year 2016. The features of air Pakistan. With respect to the population Karachi is the2nd- quality around selected green spaces / parks and largest city in the world. Karachi has a moderately playground are presented in Table 1. Academia Journal of Environmental