Delhi-NCR Gets New Laboratory to Identify Air Pollution Sources and Toxicity

Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory Latest News

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences inaugurated the world’s first- of -its-kind ‘Air Pollution Analysis’ facility for Delhi NCR known as ‘Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL).

About Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory

• It is a specialised facility aimed at identifying the sources, composition and potential health impacts of air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
• It is established under Mission Mausam.
• It is designed to provide real-time information on pollution sources and their relative contributions, helping authorities move beyond Air Quality Index (AQI) readings to develop targeted pollution-control measures.

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Features of AATAL

• It is equipped to analyse atmospheric gases, aerosols, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), metals, toxic elements and other pollutants.
• Its capabilities will help distinguish between pollution sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial activity, biomass and crop-residue burning, construction and road dust, and pollution transported from neighbouring regions.
• It will also examine the chemical characteristics of pollutants to improve scientific understanding of their potential toxicity and implications for public health.
• AATAL has been integrated with IITM’s AIRWISE, or Air Quality Warning and Integrated Decision Support System for Emissions, which combines air-quality observations, forecasts and source-apportionment information.
  • AIRWISE provides forecasts at a spatial resolution of 400 metres for the next 72 hours, enabling authorities to assess how pollution levels and their likely sources may vary across different parts of Delhi.
• The system is intended to help identify locations likely to experience deteriorating air quality and provide advance information for preventive action.
• It would help the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and other agencies plan targeted interventions and assess their effectiveness.

Source: PIB