Distribution, Sources, and Hazards of Ambient Carbonaceous Particulates in Central India

Abstract

Complex environmental and health issues are on the rise in India because of the country’s huge emissions of carbonaceous particulates. The aim of this study was to describe concentration variation, segregation, composition, and sources of carbonaceous particulates—elemental carbon (EC) [also known as black carbon (BC)], organic carbon (OC), and carbonate carbon (CC) associated with coarse (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)—from 2005 to 2013 in India’s most polluted city, Raipur. Raipur, located in central India, is surrounded by coal-based heavy industry. Annual ambient air concentrations (n=40) of EC2.5, OC2.5, and CC2.5 varied 0.5–64.7, 0.1–52.1, and 0−9.1 μg m−3, respectively, during the study period. EC10, OC10, and CC10 concentrations were higher than C2.5 concentrations and ranged 0.9–74.9, 2.2–56, and 0−29.8 μg m−3, respectively. The composition and segregation of particulate matter are discussed here. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis model was used for apportioning distant carbon sources.