Chemical and toxicological characteristics of fine particles from festive fireworks in urban residential communities

IF 4.2 2区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Atmospheric Environment Pub Date : 2025-03-04 DOI:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121160

Shreya Dubey , Vinayak Sahota , Akshay Kumar , Nidhi Prajapati , Vijaya Laxmi , Balram Dangi , Harish C. Phuleria

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In urban areas of low-and middle-income countries, short-term anthropogenic activities, such as festive fireworks, escalate air pollution. Diwali, one of the major Indian festivals, leads to severe air quality conditions due to massive emissions from fireworks. While the mass concentrations in ambient fixed locations are well explored, the chemical characterization and the redox-active components during such events, as well as potential exposures in residential outdoor locations, are poorly studied. This study focuses on examining the diurnal variation of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and its chemical and toxicological properties in residential areas during festive fireworks. A 5-day continuous diurnal monitoring was conducted across different residential sites in Mumbai, India, using real-time PM sensors collocated with the gravimetric measurements. The collected particles were subjected to multiple optical (b_abs_{_,}₃₇₀ and b_abs_{_,}₈₈₀), chemical (ionic, water-soluble organic carbon, elemental), and oxidative potential (OP^DTT and OP^AA) analyses. The study shows that the average increase in residential outdoor PM_2.5 concentration on Diwali night was ∼2.6 times higher than on non-Diwali night (206 ± 167 μg/m³). Similarly, optical parameters (b_abs_{_,}₃₇₀ and b_abs_{_,}₈₈₀) are elevated by 1.5 times, ions such as K⁺, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, and SO₄²⁻ by 5 times while Zn, Pb, Mn, and Cu spiked by ∼ 3 times during Diwali night. Toxicity of the particles as estimated by OP^DTTv and OP^AAv, increased by ∼1.5-fold during Diwali night, and was significantly correlated with NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Mn, Ni, and As (p < 0.05). Chemical speciation data reveal that toxic pollutants from Diwali fireworks increase particle toxicity. This study highlights the need for strict regulation of fireworks and policies addressing acute emission events. To protect public health, long-term air quality management strategies are essential in urban areas of India, rather than just short-term bans on fireworks or other episodic events.

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来源期刊

Atmospheric Environment 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

9.40

自引率

8.00%

发文量

458

审稿时长

53 days

期刊介绍： Atmospheric Environment has an open access mirror journal Atmospheric Environment: X, sharing the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. Atmospheric Environment is the international journal for scientists in different disciplines related to atmospheric composition and its impacts. The journal publishes scientific articles with atmospheric relevance of emissions and depositions of gaseous and particulate compounds, chemical processes and physical effects in the atmosphere, as well as impacts of the changing atmospheric composition on human health, air quality, climate change, and ecosystems.