The 2017 Delhi Air
Pollution Case
Study
NSCI102: Selected Topics in Environmental
Science
By
Kerillos Adel 18100607
Pierre Nabil 18200112
Presented to
Dr Ayat Ossama Ghallab
What is air pollution
 Air pollution occurs when harmful substances including particulates and
biological molecules enters the atmosphere.
 It Causes acid rain , ozone depletion , photochemical smog, and other
such phenomena.
 It may cause diseases, allergies or death in humans; it may also cause harm
to other living organisms such as animals and food crops, and may
damage the natural or built environment
There are two major pollutants
Primary pollutants (from direct
process)
 Carbon dioxide, Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
•Secondary pollutants (from indirect
process)
 Ground level ozone and SMOG
First the Primary pollutants
Sulphur dioxide
Produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes
Coal and petroleum also contain Sulphur compounds
And their combustion generates Sulphur dioxide
Carbon dioxide
CO2 is currently about 405 parts per million in earth's atmosphere, billions of
metric tons of CO2 are emitted annually by burning of fossil fuels.
Nitrogen dioxide
Produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes
Coal and petroleum also contain Sulphur compounds
And their combustion generates Sulphur dioxide
then the secondary pollutants
Ground Level Ozone
• Ground level Ozone - 03 is formed from NO, and VOCs. It is largely emitted
due to the combustion of fossil fuel. it is also a constituent of smog.
• Peroxyacetyl nitrate - C2H3NO, is formed from NO, and VOCs.
then the secondary pollutants
SMOG
Smog - It results from large amounts of coal burning in an area caused by a
mixture of smoke and SO,. It also comes from vehicular and industrial emissions
that are acted on in the atmosphere by ultraviolet light from the sun to form
secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form
photochemical smog.
Air Quality Index Parameters
 101-200 moderate
 301-400 very poor
 401-500 severe
 500+ hazardous
The 2017 Delhi Air Pollution Case Study
 On November 8, 2017, the Air Quality Index crossed the pollution levels of 999, making it
the worst of all. November 2017 is referred to as the Great Smog of Delhi as well because
the air particulate hit the worst level, beyond the safe limit of 100.
 In India, air pollution is referred to as the silent and fifth largest killer in India. According
to the WHO, the country has the highest death rate from asthma and chronic respiratory
ailments in the world, as air pollution does irreversible lung damage to more than 50 per
cent of children
Identified the following pollutants in Delhi
air:
 Vehicular emissions: 41 per %
 Dust: 21.5 per %
 Industries: 18 per %
 Other than vehicles, the great Delhi pollution is also caused by animal
agriculture or stubble burning. Agriculture is the main occupation in
adjacent states of Delhi. The farmers burn their crops to prepare it for next
harvest, and the smoke makes way to Delhi, engulfing it in the thick layer of
smoke. The air quality, which is already in the worse shape, gets terrible real
quickly.
Main factors caused for Delhi pollution
 Vehicular emissions (cars, 2wheelers ,trucks)
 Agricultural activates
 Exhaust from factories and industries
 Mining operations
 Indoor air pollution
The effects on health
Short term effects
• Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat
• Respiratory infections such as bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Allergic reactions.
•can aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and
emphysema.
The effects on health
Long term effects
• Chronic respiratory diseases
• Lung cancer
• Heart disease
• Damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys.
• Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and
may aggravate or complicate medical conditions in the elderly.
• Pre-mature Deaths
What happened next
 The Delhi government ordered
 Closure of 5000 school for 3 days
 Stopped all construction activities
 Shut down Badarpur thermal power station for 10days
Solutions
 Use the Public Mode of Transportation
 Better Household Practices
 Conserve energy
 Understand the Concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
 Emphasis on Clean Energy Resources
 Use Energy-Efficient Devices
 A healthy baby girl born in Delhi is Indraprastha apollo hospital on oct 29
kept in hospital for 2 days cause of Diwali how ever the baby have
breathing trouble doctor said baby have perfectly developed lungs .
When she was born about to suffer from bronchitis for life cause the pm2.5
reached on November 5 and 6 837ug/m3 and the safe limit is 60ug/m3
 According to the central pollution control board (CPCB),on November 5
,pm 2.5levels reached 999 at Punjabi Bagh and Anand Vihara . This is the
maximum possible level most monitoring machines in the city are equipped
to measure
 150to 200 patients daily around this time of the year
 Most of them children as their immune system and their lungs not fully
developed
Thank you