ASSESSMENT OF AMBIENT AIR QUALITY INDEX FOR CHIDAMBARAM TOWN IN TAMIL NADU, INDIA

This paper examines the significant differences in seasonal variations of air pollutant concentrations in urban, industrial, commercial and agricultural areas of Chidambaram. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were collected over eight sites in Chidambaram. The present study deals with the effect of industrialization, urbanization and automobile emission on ambient air quality in Chidambaram. Meteorological parameters like temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall were also recorded simultaneously during the sampling period. Eight different select pollution prone locations were intentionally identified and 8 hour samplings were carried out during January to December 2008.Monthly and seasonal variation of these pollutants have been observed and recorded. The annual average and range values have also been calculated. It has been observed that the concentrations of the pollutants are high in winter in comparison to the summer or the monsoon seasons. In the present study, it was noticed that the SPM and NOX levels at all selected sites exceeds the prescribed limits as stipulated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) New Delhi, India. This study reports the analysis of the ambient air in Chidambaram employing air quality index (AQI). The 8-hourly average concentrations of three major criteria pollutants, viz. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) for the year 2008 at eight different locations in Chidambaram have been considered for this analysis.