Tiwari Preeti, Gupta Sakshi, Shankar Shobhna, Srivastava Priyanka, Mehrotra Bharat Ji, Srivastava Manoj K, Naja Manish, Gadi Ranu, Kumar Manoj, Dawar Anit, Sharma Sudhir Kumar
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi, 110012, India.
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Jul 14;197(8):912. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14320-y.
The study examines the mineralogical, morphological and elemental characteristics of particulate matter (PM) across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (Delhi and Varanasi) and the Indo-Himalayan region (Nainital) from January to December 2022. PM concentrations showed significant spatial variability, with average loading of 204 ± 86 μg m in Delhi, 197 ± 87 μg m in Varanasi and 68 ± 54 μg m in Nainital. Advanced analytical techniques, including XRD, ATR-FTIR and SEM-EDX, were used for comprehensive characterization of PM. The dominant minerals were identified in PM samples including quartz, dolomite, calcite, albite, illite, montmorillonite and hematite. Geogenic minerals (e.g. quartz, dolomite, and albite) were attributed to natural sources such as rock weathering and dust storms, while anthropogenic contributions (e.g. construction and industrial emissions) were associated with minerals like illite, montmorillonite and hematite. Elemental analysis of PM revealed Si and Al as the most abundant elements, along with Ca, Fe, K, Mg and others at the study sites. ATR-FTIR confirmed the evidence of both inorganic ions (e.g. SO, NO and NH) and organic functional groups, indicating mixed pollution sources. Morphological analysis further distinguished between irregular, geogenic particles, and spherical anthropogenic ones. This study also reveals that Delhi and Varanasi experience high anthropogenic pollution from industrial, vehicular and combustion sources, posing significant health risks from toxic elements like Cr, As and Pb. In contrast, Nainital is primarily influenced by natural sources, but episodic long-range pollutant transport also contributes to health risks, particularly from Mn. Air-mass backward trajectory analysis confirms cross-regional pollution transport, especially from the IGP and surrounding areas. These findings offer key understanding of the composition and origin of PM, providing a scientific basis for improved air quality management in the region.
该研究调查了2022年1月至12月印度-恒河平原（德里和瓦拉纳西）以及印度-喜马拉雅地区（奈尼塔尔）颗粒物（PM）的矿物学、形态学和元素特征。PM浓度呈现出显著的空间变异性，德里的平均负荷为204±86μg/m，瓦拉纳西为197±87μg/m，奈尼塔尔为68±54μg/m。采用了包括XRD、ATR-FTIR和SEM-EDX在内的先进分析技术对PM进行全面表征。在PM样本中确定了主要矿物，包括石英、白云石、方解石、钠长石、伊利石、蒙脱石和赤铁矿。地质成因矿物（如石英、白云石和钠长石）归因于岩石风化和沙尘暴等自然源，而人为贡献（如建筑和工业排放）与伊利石、蒙脱石和赤铁矿等矿物有关。PM的元素分析表明，研究地点最丰富的元素是Si和Al，以及Ca、Fe、K、Mg等其他元素。ATR-FTIR证实了无机离子（如SO、NO和NH）和有机官能团的存在，表明污染源混合。形态分析进一步区分了不规则的地质成因颗粒和球形的人为颗粒。该研究还表明，德里和瓦拉纳西受到来自工业、车辆和燃烧源的高度人为污染，Cr、As和Pb等有毒元素带来重大健康风险。相比之下，奈尼塔尔主要受自然源影响，但间歇性的长距离污染物传输也会带来健康风险，尤其是Mn造成的风险。气团后向轨迹分析证实了跨区域污染传输，特别是来自印度-恒河平原及其周边地区的污染传输。这些发现有助于深入了解PM的组成和来源，为该地区改善空气质量管理提供科学依据。
