Capital trap: New study shows where in Delhi your lungs have least chance of escaping nanoparticles
Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, and Delhi Technological University focused on nanoparticles (PM1 or smaller) and their impact on pedestrians, the report (by Kushagra Dixit)
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The study's findings emphasise the need for measures to improve Delhi's air quality and protect public health.
Researchers discovered people in Delhi inhale 10-18 million nanoparticles daily while walking roadside. Nanoparticle levels near roads are 30% higher than in areas farther from traffic. These tiny particles, smaller than PM2.5 and PM10, pose a greater health risk due to their size. They make up 60-80% of the total particle number concentration in Delhi's air.
The study, published by Elsevier, titled «Seasonal Variation of Particle Number Concentration in a Busy Urban Street with Exposure Assessment and Deposition in Human Respiratory Tract», found these particles deposit deeply in the lungs' alveolar regions. The Rohini district in North Delhi served as the study location, examining the impact across all seasons.
“Using a computerized model for analyzing the deposition, the study revealed that more nanoparticles are deposited in the alveolar regions of the human lungs. Because these nanoparticles are about 500 times smaller than the size of human hair, they penetrate deep into the lungs” and “have the potential to penetrate our
