A Study on the Understanding of Chemical Compositions of Deposited Fog Water over Central Indo-Gangetic Plain in India

Abstract Fog preserves information about air pollution by pausing air movement and capturing chemical compositions of pollutants into fog droplets. The current study presents a chemical analysis of fog water collected in January 2021 at a rural site, Arthauli, located over the central Indo-Gangetic...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shahina Raushan Saikh, Md Abu Mushtaque, Sanat Kumar Das
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2024-10-01
Series:Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230098
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Summary:Abstract Fog preserves information about air pollution by pausing air movement and capturing chemical compositions of pollutants into fog droplets. The current study presents a chemical analysis of fog water collected in January 2021 at a rural site, Arthauli, located over the central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India. Fog water collected on 11 foggy days during 1st to 21st January 2021, were analyzed for anions (SO42−, Cl−, NO2−, NO3−), and cations (NH4+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+) using Ion Chromatography. pH of fog water ranged from 6.4 to 6.8 (Mean = 6.6 ± 0.1), depicting its alkaline nature. Total ionic composition (TIC) comprised majorly of NH4+ (35%), followed SO42− (23%), Ca2+ (15%), Cl− (10%), NO3− (8%), Mg2+ (3%), and Na+, K+, NO2− (2% each). Back-trajectories analysis indicated air movement from western IGP passing over major urban areas before reaching the sampling site. NH4+ had the highest neutralizing factor in fog samples (1.13), followed by Ca2+ (0.48) and Mg2+ (0.07). Analyses from enrichment factors, correlation coefficients, and principal components suggest that NH4+, NO3−, NO2−, SO42−, and Cl− were from anthropogenic sources like agricultural activities, factories, vehicular emissions, brick kilns, thermal plants, fossil fuels combustion, and, biomass burning, while Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+ were from the crustal source from agricultural fields.
ISSN:1680-8584
2071-1409