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Surface O3 and Its Precursors (NOx, CO, BTEX) at a Semi-arid Site in Indo-Gangetic Plain: Characterization and Variability

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Urban Air Quality Monitoring, Modelling and Human Exposure Assessment

Abstract

A systematic analysis of surface ozone and its precursor (NO, NO2, CO and BTEX) was carried out at a semi-urban site, Dayalbagh, Agra (27 °10′N, 78 °05′E) during January-December 2015. O3 showed maximum levels in June (46.9 ± 18.7 ppb) while minimum levels in December (16.7 ± 10.5 ppb) while NOx and CO showed maximum levels in January and December. Maximum levels of ozone in summer months correspond to high temperature and intense solar radiation while maximum levels of primary emissions (NOx and CO) in winter months were influenced by an increase in combustion sources and low planetary boundary layer height. Aromatic hydrocarbons like Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, m,p-Xylene and o-Xylene (BTEX) are also precursors of surface ozone. The maximum ozone formation potential (OFP) was calculated for Toluene (123) and minimum for Ethyl-benzene (15).

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Director, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra and the Head, Department of Chemistry for necessary help. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this work, which is provided by ISRO GBP under AT-CTM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India

    Nidhi Verma, Anita Lakhani & K. Maharaj Kumari

Authors
  1. Nidhi Verma
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  2. Anita Lakhani
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  3. K. Maharaj Kumari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Maharaj Kumari .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    S. M. Shiva Nagendra

  2. Department of Urban and Environmental Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Uwe Schlink

  3. Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Andrea Müller

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Mukesh Khare

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Verma, N., Lakhani, A., Maharaj Kumari, K. (2021). Surface O3 and Its Precursors (NOx, CO, BTEX) at a Semi-arid Site in Indo-Gangetic Plain: Characterization and Variability. In: Shiva Nagendra, S.M., Schlink, U., Müller, A., Khare, M. (eds) Urban Air Quality Monitoring, Modelling and Human Exposure Assessment. Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5511-4_9

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