Monitoring of Particulate Air Pollution Due to Vehicular Emission in Coimbatore City Using GIS

摘要

Geographical Information System (GIS) enables us to integrate and analyse a number of environmental data from different sources to model the overall impact of air pollutants on environment. The objective of this paper is to design an air quality management system. Air quality data were collected from 25 stations in and around Coimbatore city. In this paper a number of spatial and statistical analysis were carried out. Spatial analysis such as overlay, buffering and zoning were performed to provide an environmental alarming system. Among the various environmental standards defined in the world, in this work AQI (air quality index) standard is used. Considering the standards used, good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous places were determined. Maps showing the spatial dispersion of TSPM (total suspended particulate matter) and RPM (respirable particulate matter) were prepared. It has been found that in some areas the levels of suspended particulate matter is higher than the prescribed limit of 140 μg/m~3 and respirable particulate matter of 60 μg/m~3. Based on the GIS output the suggestions have been made to improve better living condition in Coimbatore.