Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | Following the trails of India’s Atmospheric Lead (Pb): Source Identification, Apportionment, Bioavailability and Remediation |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Reshmi Das, Jadavpur University, West Bengal |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2025 |
Contact info : | reshmidas.sest@jadavpuruniversity.in |
Equipments : | Portable Air Particulate Sampler |
Details
Executive Summary : | The toxic non-essential metal lead (Pb) is a criteria air pollutant that wreaks its havoc silently and insidiously and hence often goes unrecognized. A meta-analysis of children’s blood Pb levels in India found that, on average, the children studied could be expected to lose 4 IQ points each as a result of lead exposures. The analysis synthesized the results of 31 individual studies representing the blood lead levels of 5,472 people in nine states, finding a mean blood lead level of 6.86 µg/dL for children and 7.52 µg/dL for adults with no known occupational exposure (Ericson et al., 2018). The BLL reduction is only possible if precise Pb sources can be identified with its spatiotemporal variations due to anthropogenic causes and bioavailability of Pb from different sources can be quantified. As atmosphere is the first recipient of the pollutant, identification of atmospheric Pb sources are of utmost importance. This proposal aims to identify the atmospheric Pb sources in PM2.5 (inhalable fraction of particulate matter) two decades after phasing out of leaded gasoline in India. Pb isotopes (in triple isotope space of Pb) in conjunction with trace metals will be used to characterize the end members (coal, gasoline, ores, road dust). Subsequently aerosol Pb isotopic composition will be measured and simulation-based inversion model will be used to estimate the quantitative contribution of Pb from source materials to aerosols. Several of the end members have overlapping Pb isotope ratios where their distinctive trace metal ratios prove to be useful. Meteorological effects on the atmospheric Pb sources will be assessed. Biological availability of the metal will be measured which is dependent on the Pb species primarily controlled by difference in emission sources. In summary, an atmospheric Pb source map of India in three environmental settings (urban, rural and industrial) in different seasons will be prepared along with a biological availability index for the policy makers to decide on the course of action to reduce source based Pb emissions to the atmosphere. The responsibility of the scientific community does not end in source identification but demands for suggesting possible mitigation efforts. Epiphytes commonly called “air plants” derive their nutrients from the atmosphere and are excellent absorbents of atmospheric pollutants. Epiphytes such as mosses and lichens from Indian megacities have been proven to be successful in capturing Pb from the atmosphere (Kar et al., 2014; Vats et al., 2010). This study will also focus on bio remediating Pb in indoor air using botanical biofiltration that will open up the opportunity of lab to land transfer of the suggested technology as has been used in many European cities. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Sambuddha Misra, Indian Institute Of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka-560012 |
Total Budget (INR): | 29,73,696 |
Organizations involved