Assessment of Air Pollution Index (API) using FAHP and correlations between PM10 and Sentinel 5P (TROPOMI) AOD of Jharkhand, India

Abstract

In the World Air Quality Report 2022, India ranked 8th in terms of average PM_2.5 concentration globally with a value of 53.3 μg/m³ and a number of the 7 most polluted cities are present in India out of 50 cities. The presence of poor air quality has a positive relationship with mining activities because it requires drilling, blasting, mine hot spots, mineral recovery etc. and as Jharkhand is one of the most mining dominated state. The present work is based on 10 m-resolution Sentinel 5P data using the Google Earth Engine Platform and published data from the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) of India. In this paper, we draw the API (Air Pollution Index) of Jharkhand, comprising of CO, O₃, NO₂, SO₂, and PM₁₀. Further, we try to draw a relationship between Sentinel 5P AOD and CPCB published ground data of PM₁₀ monthly and seasonal and drive equations that can be used to convert AOD Sentinel 5P data to PM₁₀ in future studies of that particular region. FAHP (Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process) is employed as MCDM to calculate API, and the outcome depicts that a high concentration of API is dominant along the north-eastern part of the state and a low concentration within the southern part due to the allocation of mining activity along the north-eastern part of the state, and the trend of concentration of PM₁₀ in the air is continuously increasing from 2012-2018 as per the GOJ (Government of Jharkhand), which can create health issues among the local communities in the region. This study will give insight on the pollution scenario in the mining dominated state Jharkhand and along with that it will also spread awareness on the impact of mining activities on the atmosphere.