Improving air quality and public health

Scientists in Manchester and India are helping us to better understand the causes and impacts of air pollution.

A cleaner urban atmosphere

The pace of daily life in the world’s biggest cities has an atmospheric impact – which can also damage health. With its chronic levels of air pollution, Delhi is the perfect case study for research into the causes and effects of poor air quality.

A collaboration between The University of Manchester, the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and IIT Madras is exploring the connection between air pollution and human health in the city so that authorities can make informed policy decisions.

Cause and effect

Air pollution in Delhi is linked to a range of factors, including heavy traffic, burnt waste and the dusty air in pre-monsoon season. Its impacts are similarly wide-ranging: lung damage, heart disease, cognitive impairment and other conditions have been associated with poor quality of air.

The research into these is in its early stages but is already providing insights. “The work we have done shows that although there are some variations in particulate matter (PM) concentrations across the city, the contributions from different sources are broadly similar,” says Hugh Coe, Professor of Atmospheric Composition at Manchester.

“This will facilitate better policy implementation since the routes to reduction via policy interventions need to be broadly similar across the city.

“For example, the high levels of primary PM from motor vehicles need to be reduced. These are likely to occur from the extensive two-stroke engine fleet (tuk-tuks, motorbikes etc), although nitrogen-oxide emissions are low when compared to a modern European fleet since diesel use is less widespread.

“Evidence is increasing to suggest that rubbish-burning at open waste dumps and in streets is a major source of toxic pollution. Improved public waste removal is therefore required.”

Combined expertise

The work has been supported by a joint funding delivered by an agreement between India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences and the UK’s National Environment Research Council.

Professor Coe believes that collaborations such as these bring different communities together and facilitate international partnership building. In this particular case, the expertise brought by each side makes for a potent combination.

“The UK has extensive experience of conducting atmospheric chemistry measurements and carrying out computer modelling of air pollution that is world-leading. India has a rapidly growing research base in this field and a huge amount of local knowledge and understanding of the air pollution problems in Indian cities,” he explains. 

“Harnessing these two strengths in a joint programme that has collaborative and multidisciplinary research at its heart is vital in making rapid progress towards improving air quality in cities across the globe.”