Mitigation of particulate matters and integrated approach for carbon monoxide remediation in an urban environment

Air pollution is a serious threat throughout the world and may cause remarkable loss to human health and other living beings. A study was conducted to investigate the main sources of contaminants including CO, fine particle (PM2.5), coarse particle (PM10), and total suspended particulate (TSP) in the ambient air of a typical South Asian industrial city of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Twenty sites under five different city sectors (residential, health centers, commercial, industrial, and vehicular) were surveyed over one month. The average concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 and CO were 1037.62 ± 383.6 µg/m3, 434.62 ± 65 µg/m3, 35.88 ± 1.7 µg/m3, and 6.4 ± 1.95 µg/m3, respectively. The highest Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at the recorded commercial areas followed by the vicinities of health centers and industrial areas. The obtained results were compared against the acceptable limits of Pakistan (national) Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) and the United States, Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). The results demonstrated that concentration of TSP, PM10,PM2.5, and CO in the ambient air of Faisalabad city exceeded the USEPA and NEQs air quality standards. Consequently, air pollution control should not only emphasize on regulatory particulate emissions but also involve the implementation of an integrated multi-pollutant control strategy.