1. Name of Department  

Air Pollution Unit

2. Objective

• To assess the exposure to various air pollutants at the places of work for high risk population groups   and     general population through ambient and indoor air monitoring.

• To assess the health impairments due to exposure to air pollutants for the high risk population through exposure assessment and biological monitoring.

• To look for measure to minimize the exposure and associated risks. To create awareness/communicate the associate risks of exposure to air pollutants to the exposed groups/general population through various media like radio and TV programmes.

3. Functions of Department.

• Air monitoring for various air pollutants like Volatile organic compounds, Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons, aldehydes, esters and ketones. Inorganic gaseous pollutants ( NOx, SO2, phosgene, carbon disulfide, so etc) and particulate matter ( RPM / TSPM ) using advance-sampling and Analysis using modern analytical instruments like GC/GC-MS/HPLC.

• Organize / participate in various teaching / training programmes for various population groups such as PG students/academicians/industrials medical officer.

• Communicate to masses through radio / TV programmes for creating awareness.

4. Details of Scientific & Technical staff.

5. Laboratory Facilities & Instruments.

Respireable Dust Sampler

This instrument is used to measure respirable dust particle (< 10µm) and total suspended particulate matter from the ambient environment . This can also be used for collection of gaseous pollutants.

Anderson Sampler

Particles < 10 to 0.4 µm get deposited in various parts of human respiratory system. This sampler collects air borne particles in 8 different particles size ranges from < 10 to 0.4 µm. Subsequently chemical analysis of these particulate matter can be used for assessing health risk exposure.

6. On going projects.  

1. Ambient air quality monitoring at different traffic junctions for the comparison of pollution level after the introduction of  CNG fuel in the Ahmedabad City.

2. Indoor Air pollution and health hazards among beauty salon operators-a pilot.

3. Exposure assessment of phosgene among industrial workers. Environmental and Occupational Health survey in plastic recycling units at kandla SEZ.

4. Cardio toxicity and Nephrotoxicity among workers exposed to carbon disulfide in rayon industry.

7.   Future Programmes

1. VOC and PAH exposure and health effects among workers at petrochemical processes- Project submitted for funding to ICMR under Indo-US Joint Research Programme.

2. Assessment of Exposure to Toluene Diisocyanates (2,4 and 2,6 - TDI) Among Polyurethane Foam Industry workers.- Project submitted to MOEF for funding.

3. Indoor Air pollution from biomass combustion and health hazards among women and child population in the slum areas of Ahmedabad city, India.- Project to be submitted to Ministry of Women and Child development, Govt. of India.

8. Project Completed

1.       Health Risk assessment of Rural and Urban population due  to Ambient/Indoor Air Pollution, sponsored by the       Ministry of Health and family Walfare.

2.      National Environmental Health Profile and Comparative Health Risk Assessment, sponsored by WHO through Ministry of Environment & Forests.

3.      Chemical Analysis of RPM of Gujarat city. Comparative Epidemiological Studies on Effects of Air pollutants.

4.      Air pollution due to vehicular Traffic in Designated Cities / Towns of the Gujarat State and evaluation of Health Status of School children studying nearby traffic junction in cities identified by the Honble High Court.

5.      Alternation of petroleum fuels with different composition with additives and without additives at source levels

6.      Auto exhaust emissions and its health effects on high risk population groups like Traffic Policemen & Shopkeepers.

7.      Assessment of exposure to Lead and Cadmium through biological monitoring. sponsored by WHO/UNEP.

8.      Studies on trace elements in the community environment.

9.      Indoor air quality and its implications on housewives.

10.      Integrated air quality surveillance study over Vadodara Urban Development Authority area, sponsored by Govt. of Gujarat.

11.      Controlled Installation Exposure studies on Methyl Iso Cyanate (MIC) in relation to Bhopal Gas leakage Tragedy, Sponsored by Bhopal leakage Commission, Govt. of India.

12.      A study on Dropsy Epidemics in Gujarat. Sponsored by Govt. of Gujarat.

 9. Publications and Research Reports 

      1. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Kajal and Surma Eye Cosmetic Preparations J.P. Jani, C.V. Raiyani, N.M. Desai, and S.K. Kashyap. Human Exptt. Toxicol. (1988), 7, 195-197.

      2. Residues of Organochlorine Pesticides and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Drinking Water of Ahmedabad City, India J.P. Jani, C.V. Raiyani, J.S. Mistry, J.S. Patel, N.M. Desai, and S.K. Kashyap Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. (1991) 47:381-385.

      3. Characterization and Problems of Indoor Pollution due to Cooking Stove Smoke C.V. Raiyani, S.H. Shah, N.M. Desai, K.Venkaiah, J.S. Patel, D.J. Parikh and S.K. Kashyap. Atmospheric Environment Vol. 27A. No. 11, pp 1643-1655. 1993.

      4. Assessment of Indoor Exposure to Polycyclic Hydrocarbons for the urban poor using various types of cooking fuels. Raiyani C.V., Jani J.P., Desai .N.M., Shah P.G., Shah S.H., and Kashyap S.K. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 50, 757-763, 1993.

      5. Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Environment of Ahmedabad City C.V. Raiyani, J.P. Jani, N.M. Desai, J.A. Shah and S.K. Kashyap Indian J. Environmental Protection, Vol. 13, No. 3, 206-215, March 1993.

      6. Magnitude of Pollution of Dye-contaminated River Water - Its Physico-chemical and Microbial Analysis C.V. Raiyani, P.B. Doctor, Yogendra Verma, N.M. Desai, P.K. Kulkarni, S.G. Ruparelia and S.K. Ghosh. Indian J. Environmental Protection, Vol. 14, No. 4, 252-255, April 1994.

      7. Mutagenic response of smoke particulates of bio-mass energy fuels. V.N. Gokani, P.B. Doctor, C.V. Raiyani, P.K. Kulkarni, N.M. Desai and S.K. Kashyap. Indian J. Occup. Environ. Med 1 (1997) 68.

      8. Physico-chemical and Microbial Analysis of Dye-Contaminated River Water. P.B. Doctor, C.V. Raiyani, Yogendra Verma, N.M. Desai, P.K. Kulkarni, S.G. Ruparelia and S.K. Ghosh. Indian J. Environ Hlth. Vol. 40, No.1, 7-14 (1998)

      9  A study on Indoor Air Pollutants: Toxicity Screening of Suspended Particulate Matter S.K.Gosh, T.S.Patel, P.B.Doctor, S.H.Shah, N.M.Desai and A.Y.Derasari. Bulletin of Env.Cont. & Toxicology.Vol.67, (no-1)  149-154, July 2001.

     10. Air Quality Surveillance Technique, A.L.Aggarwal & N.L.Ramanathan, Indian Journal of Air Pollution Control vol:1 (no2), 76-80, 1978.

     11. Limitation of Sulphation rate technique for establishing seasonal and spatial variation in Sulpher dioxide pollution, A.L. Aggarwal, V.G. Patel, T.S. Patel, C.V. Raiyani, D.C. Dave and S.K. Chatterjee. Indian Journal of Air Pollution Control vol : 2 (no1), 33-40, 1979.

     12. Aromatic data processing for Air Quality Surveillance, N.L. Ramanathan and A.L. Aggarwal, Indian J. Environmental Protection, vol:1 (no2) 70-77, 1981.

     13. An Analysis of Characteristics of Urban Air Pollution over a four year period (1978-81) B.B. Chatterjee, T.S. Patel and C.V. Raiyani, Indian J. Ecology vol:xxix (no4) 226-231, 1985.

     14. Assessment of Exposure to Benzo (a) pyrene in Air for various Pollution group in Ahmedabad, A.L. Aggarwal, C.V. Raiyani, P.D. Patel, P.G. Shah and S. K. Chatterjee Atmospheric Environment vol:16 (no,4) 867-870 1982.

     15. Indoor Air Pollution Problem, Traditionally Modern fuels, T.S.Patel, C.V.Raiyani, N.Mohan Rao, A.L. Aggarwal, G.P.Karatha and B.B. Chatterjee.

10.  Miscellaneous Information : Unpublished Research Reports

1.     Study on High Risk Population groups at Ahmedabad.  Ph.D. Thesis 1979.

2.    Studies on Trace Elements in Community Environment.  Ph.D. Thesis 1982.

3.      Evaluation of Air Pollution Levels in Ahmedabad. Ph.D. Thesis 1986.

4.      Integrated Air Quality Surveillance study over Vadodara Urban Development Area – 1989.

5.      A report on air pollution due to vehicular traffic in designated cities/towns of the Gujarat state and evaluation of health status of school children studying nearby traffic junctions in cities identified by the Hon’ble High Court-2000.

6.      Ahmedabad Auto exhaust pollution survey and its effects on exposed occupational groups-1979.