IIT Kanpur Study Links High Nightly Pollution in Delhi to Biomass Burning Emissions

IIT Kanpur-led study reveals biomass burning as the main culprit behind the high levels of particulate pollution in Delhi during nighttime.

The study, published in the Nature Geoscience journal and contributed to by PRL, IIT Delhi, CPCB, PSI Switzerland, and University of Helsinki, uncovers the reasons behind severe haze events experienced during winters in Delhi, one of the world's most populated cities. 

The research measured aerosol size distribution and molecular composition of ambient aerosols and gases during the winter months of 2019. 

The study found that uncontrolled biomass burning for residential heating and cooking in the Indo-Gangetic plain results in ultrafine particles, affecting the health of 5 per cent of the world's population and impacting the regional climate. 

The study recommends the regulation of uncontrolled biomass-combustion emissions to inhibit nocturnal haze formation and improve health, as air pollution is responsible for 18 per cent of the total annual premature deaths in India.