Air quality in megacity Delhi affected by countryside biomass burning

Srinivas Bikkina, August Andersson, Elena N. Kirillova, Henry Holmstrand, Suresh Tiwari, A. K. Srivastava, D. S. Bisht and Örjan Gustafsson ()
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Srinivas Bikkina: Stockholm University
August Andersson: Stockholm University
Elena N. Kirillova: Stockholm University
Henry Holmstrand: Stockholm University
Suresh Tiwari: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Regional Centre
A. K. Srivastava: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Regional Centre
D. S. Bisht: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Regional Centre
Örjan Gustafsson: Stockholm University

Nature Sustainability, 2019, vol. 2, issue 3, 200-205

Abstract: Abstract South Asian megacities are strong sources of regional air pollution. Delhi is a key hotspot of health- and climate-impacting black carbon (BC) emissions, affecting environmental sustainability in densely populated northern India. Effective mitigation of BC impact is hampered by highly uncertain emission source estimates. Here, we use dual-carbon isotope fingerprints (δ13C/∆14C) of BC to constrain the seasonal source variability in Delhi. These measurements show that lower BC concentrations in summer are predominantly from fossil fuel sources (~83%). However, large-scale open burning of post-harvest crop residue/wood in nearby rural regions is contributing to severe haze pollution in Delhi during winter and autumn (~42 ± 17%). Hence, the common conception that megacities affect their surroundings is here amended or seasonally reversed. Therefore, to combat the severe air pollution problems in Delhi and the environmental quality of northern India, current urban efforts need to be complemented with countryside regional mitigation.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0219-0

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