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<p>Mercury (Hg) is a toxic pollutant with significant global health impacts, yet its urban-industrial sources in South Asia remain insufficiently characterized. This study presents the first long-term (2018–2024) observational dataset of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) across three major Indian cities: Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune. Daily average GEM concentrations were highest in Delhi (6.9 ± 4.2&#xa0;ng/m<sup>3</sup>), followed by Ahmedabad (2.1 ± 0.7&#xa0;ng/m<sup>3</sup>) and Pune (1.5 ± 0.4&#xa0;ng/m<sup>3</sup>). Elevated nighttime GEM levels in Delhi were consistent with conditions of atmospheric stability and shallow boundary layer height, although these associations are presented qualitatively due to modeling constraints. A significant correlation between GEM and carbon monoxide (CO) (p &lt; 0.05), along with GEM/CO slopes of 0.0064, 0.0023, and 0.001&#xa0;ng/m<sup>3</sup>/ppbv for Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune respectively, suggests that combustion related urban emissions, particularly from coal and industrial sources are key contributors. Receptor based source apportionment using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) revealed that anthropogenic sources accounted for 72–92% of GEM levels, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, industrial activities, and vehicular emissions. Natural contributions (8–28%) were attributed to re-emission from soil and photochemical processes. Backward air mass trajectory analysis using NOAA’s HYSPLIT model further supported the influence of both local emissions and regional transport, particularly during high-GEM episodes in Delhi and Ahmedabad. Annual GEM emissions were estimated at 1.6–90.5&#xa0;kg/year, with Delhi showing a 32% reduction over the study period, indicating the potential effectiveness of emission control measures. Health risk assessment based on the hazard quotient (HQ) indicated a higher chronic exposure risk in Delhi, though values remained below World Health Organization thresholds. Overall, this study highlights the spatial variability, source pathways, and potential health implications of urban Hg pollution in Indian cities and underscores the need for integrated monitoring and policy interventions.</p>

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Urban Hg pollution and health risks in Indian cities: Insights from receptor and box modeling approaches

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月26日

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  • Molla Nageswar Rao,
  • Abhilash S. Panicker,
  • Sujit Maji,
  • Arkabanee Mukherjee,
  • Vrinda Anand,
  • Pramod Kori,
  • Atar Singh Pipal,
  • Sachin D. Ghude

摘要

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic pollutant with significant global health impacts, yet its urban-industrial sources in South Asia remain insufficiently characterized. This study presents the first long-term (2018–2024) observational dataset of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) across three major Indian cities: Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune. Daily average GEM concentrations were highest in Delhi (6.9 ± 4.2 ng/m3), followed by Ahmedabad (2.1 ± 0.7 ng/m3) and Pune (1.5 ± 0.4 ng/m3). Elevated nighttime GEM levels in Delhi were consistent with conditions of atmospheric stability and shallow boundary layer height, although these associations are presented qualitatively due to modeling constraints. A significant correlation between GEM and carbon monoxide (CO) (p < 0.05), along with GEM/CO slopes of 0.0064, 0.0023, and 0.001 ng/m3/ppbv for Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune respectively, suggests that combustion related urban emissions, particularly from coal and industrial sources are key contributors. Receptor based source apportionment using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) revealed that anthropogenic sources accounted for 72–92% of GEM levels, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, industrial activities, and vehicular emissions. Natural contributions (8–28%) were attributed to re-emission from soil and photochemical processes. Backward air mass trajectory analysis using NOAA’s HYSPLIT model further supported the influence of both local emissions and regional transport, particularly during high-GEM episodes in Delhi and Ahmedabad. Annual GEM emissions were estimated at 1.6–90.5 kg/year, with Delhi showing a 32% reduction over the study period, indicating the potential effectiveness of emission control measures. Health risk assessment based on the hazard quotient (HQ) indicated a higher chronic exposure risk in Delhi, though values remained below World Health Organization thresholds. Overall, this study highlights the spatial variability, source pathways, and potential health implications of urban Hg pollution in Indian cities and underscores the need for integrated monitoring and policy interventions.