In a significant step towards addressing air pollution issue, a researcher from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur has published groundbreaking research in Nature Communications journal, shedding light on the sources and composition of particulate matter (PM) in Northern India that are harmful to human health. Contrary to the common belief that reducing overall PM mass would alleviate health impacts, this comprehensive study highlights the importance of addressing local inefficient combustion processes—such as biomass and fossil fuel burning, including traffic exhaust in effectively reducing PM-related health exposure and their associated impacts in Northern India—says Dr Deepika Bhattu, Associate Professor and lead author of the article.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/