Hazardous air pollutants causing birth defects found in Delhi's air
It is not only very high particulate matter levels but also hazardous air pollutants like mercury and formaldehyde that have been discovered in Delhi’s air, as per an experiment.
According to a report, the discovery of hazardous air pollutants in the capital's air has been made by an experimental station being operated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Studies will be required to figure out if the levels of these toxic gases are too high, as per experts. The standards for these tests do not exist in India. However, the current scenario is nothing less than dangerous.
The US EPA states that these pollutants are capable of causing cancer or triggering other serious health effects in humans like reproductive effects or birth defects.
The experimental monitoring station that checks air quality continuously is functional at Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar. It operates on the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) system.
Air toxins like sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (FOR), benzene (BEN), toluene (TOL), p-Xylene(pXy) and mercury (Hg) are monitored by the station.
The purpose of the CPCB monitoring these air toxins is to find out whether the technology can be employed to track emissions at critically polluted areas like industrial clusters, thermal power plants or around pesticide manufacturing units.
-PTC News
