Tropospheric Ozone Monitoring in Pune City

Certain levels of stratospheric ozone are essential for existence of life. On the other hand, it has been proven that even very low levels of tropospheric or photochemical ozone damages plants and materials such as rubber and have harmful effects on the human respiratory system. With increasing industrialization and the tendency of majority of industries to congregate in areas which are already heavily industrialized, the problem of air pollution has begun to be felt in India. Short-term studies conducted by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur have confirmed that cities like Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi and Pune are facing the impact of air pollution on a steadily increasing level. The present study deals with ground level ozone concentration at different sites in Pune. The sites have been categorized as residential cum commercial (Nalstop), commercial (Swargate), industrial (Bhosari), mixed land use (Karve Road), and area outside Pune (PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation). The average concentration of ozone in Pune as measured during the study period ranges from 0.39 ppmv to 3.36 ppmv. Bhosari has recorded maximum average concentration of ozone whereas Karve road shows the minimum average concentration of ozone.