Characteristics of atmospheric trace gases, particulate matter, and heavy metal pollution in Dhaka, Bangladesh
| Published | 27 September 2008 |
|---|---|
| Journal | Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 101-109 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11869-008-0017-8 |
Open access (hybrid)
Trace and heavy metals in airborne particulate matter Urban and indoor air quality in Dhaka
Abstract
Aerosol particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) and trace gases (SO 2 , NO 2 , CO and O 3 ) were sampled at five locations in greater Dhaka, Bangladesh, between January and April 2006. Particulate matter was collected on micro-fiber filters with a low-volume sampler, and trace gases (SO 2 , NO 2 , and O 3 ) were collected with an impinger equipped with PM samplers. Carbon monoxide was determined using the Indicator Tube method. The total average concentrations of SO 2 , NO 2 , CO, and O 3 were 48.3, 21.0, 166.0 and 28 μg m –3 , respectively. The total average concentrations of SO 2 and NO 2 were much lower than the annual average guideline values of the World Health Organization (WHO). The total average O 3 concentration was also much lower than the daily maximum values established by WHO (average of 100 μg m –3 for an 8-h sample). The total average concentrations of five sites were 263, 75.5 and 66.2 μg m –3 for SPM, PM 10 and PM 2.5 , respectively. The mass of PM 2.5 is approximately 88% of the PM 10 mass, indicating that fossil fuel is the main source of PM in Dhaka. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the heavy metal concentrations in the PM 2.5 size fraction. The total average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn in PM 2.5 were 6.3, 13, 94, 433, 204, and 381 ng m –3 , respectively. The Pb concentration in Dhaka shows a decreasing tendency, presumably due to the ban on the use of leaded fuel. The overall trace metal concentrations in Dhaka are higher than those in European (e.g., Spain, Norway) and East Asian (e.g., Taiwan) locations, but lower than those measured in Southeast Asian (Kanpur, Delhi, Mumbai, India; Lahore, Pakistan) cities.
Abstract © the authors, published under a CC BY NC licence.
Cite this
Abdus Salam, Tofazzal Hossain, M. N. A. Siddique, A. M. Shafiqul Alam (2008). Characteristics of atmospheric trace gases, particulate matter, and heavy metal pollution in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 1(2), 101-109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-008-0017-8
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