Research Projects

Particulate matter (PM) exposure is a significant health-detrimental air pollutant and a leading risk factor globally. Current PM mitigation approaches identify emission sources based on mass contributions, but epidemiological and toxicity studies suggest that PM mass alone cannot explain PM health-associated burden. Different PM sources can exert distinct effects on human health due to their chemical characteristics and size fractions. To reduce the health burden associated with PM exposure, understanding the toxicity-related characteristics of emission sources is crucial. Inhaled particles produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in oxidative stress and adverse health response, which is associated with PM's overall oxidative potential (OP). There is limited knowledge about the role of chemical species in ambient PM that contributes to OP across size fractioned PM. Limited studies are available on PM toxicity assessment in the Indian scenario across seasons, where PM chemical, size, and source characteristics vary. The proposed work focuses on understanding the differential toxicities of PM size fractions across summer and winter periods and assessing the role of chemical components and sources towards PM toxicity. Ambient PM filter sampling will be carried out simultaneously for fine (PM2.5) and coarse fractions (PM2.5-10) across the summer and winter periods. Statistical techniques, including correlation and principal component analysis, will be used to see the interdependence of chemical components on toxicity outcomes for fine and coarse PM fractions. This approach to assess PM source-specific toxicity will be the first in India.