The air quality in Mumbai on the first morning of the year was better compared to previous years. (File photo)

MUMBAI: The city this year might have experienced a lower impact of air pollution as concentration of the harmful pollutant PM 2.5 in 2019 was the lowest since 2016, according to an assessment done by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) of 175 on January 1 was also the cleanest since 2016.

The city’s annual average for the concentration of particulate matter lesser than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) was 54 ug/ m3, which is the lowest since 2016 (see box) but continues to breach the permissible limit of 40 ug/m3. “This year the overall concentration of PM 2.5 was lower due to the weather factors including the prolonged monsoon and the cyclones in the Arabian Sea. There has also been more awareness about pollution, and efforts to tackle it that could be showing miniscule results,” said Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR.

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PM 10 and PM 2.5, the major components of outdoor air pollution are under the worst carcinogenics to humans (Group 1). While the concentration of PM 2.5 might have dipped, it’s share in the PM 10 composition increased, according to a SAFAR study presented earlier this month. At the annual Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conclave, Beig showed that Mumbai had a PM 2.5 to PM 10 ratio of 65% and Delhi 45%.

The air quality in the city on the first morning of the year was better compared to previous years. The quality worsened to 204 by the evening, as predicted by SAFAR. Researchers said the reason for an improved air quality on the new year’s morning was weather patterns. “The winds picked up speed in the last 24 hours, allowing the disbursal of pollutants. The humidity was lower on Tuesday as well, which reduces the pollutant carrying capacity of air. The moisture content increased a little during the day and hence the levels moved to the poor category,” said Beig.

In 2018 and 2017, the city recorded an AQI of 253 and 221 respectively, in the poor category. Among the 10 most monitored locations in the city, Malad was the most polluted at

276. The least polluted was Bhandup with an AQI of 88.

AQI levels for PM 2.5 between 0-50 is good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 30-400 is very poor and above 400 is severe.

