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Fine Mode Carbonaceous Aerosols of PM2.5 Over the High-Altitude Stations of the Indian Himalayas

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Abstract

Carbonaceous Aerosols (CAs) have played an active role in the Earth's atmospheric system, climate, human health, and radiative forcing. Due to their significant role in the atmosphere, it was imperative to characterize the carbonaceous components [organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and total carbonaceous aerosols (TCA)] of PM2.5 samples collected at three different urban locations (Mohal-Kullu, Almora, and Darjeeling) of the Himalayan region of India during August 2018–December 2019. The annual average mass concentrations of PM2.5 were recorded as 40 ± 27, 27 ± 21, and 38 ± 13 µg m−3 for Mohal-Kullu, Almora, and Darjeeling, respectively, which is near the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (24 h: 60 µg m-3; annual: 40 µg m−3). The OC/EC ratio and significant correlation of OC with EC and WSOC with OC indicated a substantial effect of biomass burning and secondary organic aerosol formation over the study sites. OC was found to be secondary in nature over the study sites during the study period. The contribution of TCA in PM2.5 showed CAs as a significant contributor to the mass concentration of particulate matter (PM) over the Himalayan regions. HYSPLIT model demonstrates that regionally transported air masses, mostly from Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP), the Thar desert, the semi-arid region, Nepal, and local areas, considerably influence PM concentrations and chemical composition over the pristine Himalayan altitudes. The study implies that to improve the air quality in booming urban areas, it is necessary to pay attention to both local emission sources and meteorological conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors (SKS, TKM, NC, AR) are thankful to Director, CSIR-NPL, New Delhi, for their encouragement and support for this study. The authors (SKS, TKM, and AR) acknowledged the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, New Delhi, India, for providing financial support for this study (DST/CCP/Aerosol/88/2017). One of the authors (NC) also acknowledges the DST, New Delhi, for providing the research fellowship. The authors (JCK, RL, SC, IT & AB) thank the Director, G.B. Pant, National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), for providing facilities. These authors (JCK, RL, SC, IT&AB) also acknowledge ISRO-SPL for providing partial funds to conduct the studies under Aerosol Radiative Forcing over India (ARFI). The authors thankfully acknowledge the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory for downloading the air mass trajectories (http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/hysplit4.html) datasets.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Nikki Choudhary, Akansha Rai, Tuhin Kumar Mandal & Sudhir Kumar Sharma

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

    Nikki Choudhary, Akansha Rai, Tuhin Kumar Mandal & Sudhir Kumar Sharma

  3. G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, 263643, India

    Jagdish Chandra Kuniyal, Sheetal Chaudhary & Archana Bawari

  4. G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Himachal Regional Centre, Mohal-Kullu, 175126, India

    Renu Lata & Isha Thakur

  5. Centre for Astroparticle Physics and Space Sciences, Bose Institute, Darjeeling, 734102, India

    Monami Dutta & Abhijit Chatterjee

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  1. Nikki Choudhary
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Choudhary, N., Kuniyal, J.C., Lata, R. et al. Fine Mode Carbonaceous Aerosols of PM2.5 Over the High-Altitude Stations of the Indian Himalayas. MAPAN 38, 771–778 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-023-00647-9

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