PHOTO CHEMICAL SMOG - DEATH TRAP FOR ROAD USERS

This paper discusses the chemistry of photochemical smog, together with some possible approaches to reducing it on Indian roads. Photochemical smog is a major killer in India, especially where National Highways pass through residential areas in conurbations and other large cities. 60% of air pollution in Indian cities is due to exhaust emissions from cars. The major pollutants there are: (1) dust; (2) sulphur compounds (SO2 and H2S); (3) nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2); (3) carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2); and (4) hydrocarbons (HC). Some of these pollutants react chemically when they enter the atmosphere, to form even more harmful compounds. The pollutants and these additional compounds appear as gases, dust, smoke, mist, and fumes. Nitric oxide (NO) is responsible for several atmospheric photochemical reactions, especially in the presence of organic compounds, which produce additional pollutants. Sunlight, water vapour, carbon monoxide, aldehydes, and hydrocarbons contribute to further chemical reactions. The emission and dispersion of these pollutants depend on traffic volume and composition, speed, vehicle acceleration and deceleration, wind, and weather conditions. To reduce deaths, ambient air quality near roads should be predicted, so that appropriate management measures can be applied. Traffic and air pollution data should also be collected for a long period of time.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1790571
• Corporate Authors:

  Indian Roads Congress

  Jamnagar House, Shahjahan Road
  New Delhi,   India  110 011
• Authors:
  • Panda, J
• Publication Date: 2000-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 11-7
• Serial:
  • Indian Highways
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Indian Roads Congress
  • ISSN: 0376-7256

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Chemical analysis; Chemistry; Data collection; Fatalities; Fog; Highways; Luminous intensity; Physical distribution; Pollutants; Traffic control; Urban areas; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• Geographic Terms: India
• ITRD Terms: 2452: Air pollution; 7163: Chemical analysis; 7165: Chemistry; 8623: Data acquisition; 9009: Decrease; 9016: Distribution (gen); 2442: Emission; 1602: Fatality; 2547: Fog; 2755: Highway; 8045: India; 505: Light intensity; 2431: Pollutant; 654: Traffic control; 313: Urban area; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00799643
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Oct 6 2000 12:00AM