Identification and analysis of factors affecting the quality of air in Nepal with focus on the status of air quality in Kathmandu Valley

摘要

Air pollution has emerged as one of the major problems in developing countries like Nepal. Although increased studies aimed at air pollution issues have been conducted in the country relatively recently, the up-to-date database to summarize the status of these studies is virtually not present. In order to fill in the information gaps that exist for the status of air pollution studies in Nepal, there is an urgent need to summarize the available literature and create a data base that would provide a comprehensive and thorough picture of air pollution scenario in Nepal. The overarching aim of this study is to create a data base that would provide a comprehensive and thorough picture of air pollution scenario in Nepal. The exhaustive search of published scientific articles and report aimed at air pollution in Nepal were conducted by an electronic search of Google Scholar. Studies related to air pollution conducted in Nepal from the early 1990’s to 2013 were collected, and were organized into different categories. My results suggest that there have been some extensive researches only on some of the major air pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Results also showed that a huge numbers of studies are focused only in the Kathmandu valley and its surrounding metropolitan areas such as Bhaktapur and Lalitpur which are the major cities in the central development region of the country. Even among these three cities, the priority has been given to alone Kathmandu as it is the capital of the country. Only handful of studies have focused outside the valley in urban centers such as Pokhara, Buwal, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj etc. or other development regions. My analysis showed that the ambient air of Nepal is heavily polluted and that the quality of the air is degrading from last few years. This unfortunate degradation of air quality is mainly been due to rapid rise in the number of petrol and diesel emissions to the air from the many brick kilns, cement factory, dyeing industries etc. Many of the studies made over the last decade have shown that the air quality of Nepal is heavily polluted and that the quality of the air is deteriorating. My comprehensive analysis of air pollution status in Nepal is not only able to assess the status of air pollution in Nepal but also fills the gap for the future studies to take place. The literatures categorized and analyzed according to the year, pollutants being studied, areas being studied and the environment will help to fill the gap in assessing the level of air pollution. With the classification, there is a clear picture of what have been done in the past and what can be done to make the situation better.

目录

封面

声明

英文摘要

目录

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.2 Country’s background

1.3 Rationale of the study

1.4 Aims and objective

1.5 Significance of the study

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Air quality monitoring

2.2 Description of pollutants

2.3 Atmospheric transport of air pollutants

CHAPTER 3 MATERIAL AND METHODS

CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results

4.2 Assessment of the air quality

4.3 Concentration of air pollutants in Nepal’s atmosphere

4.4 Discussion

4.5 Baseline conditions of Kathmandu valley

4.6 Contributing factors in increased pollution level in Kathmandu

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Conclusion

5.2 Recommendation

5.3 Air quality management

参考文献

致谢