Concentration of nitrite in respirable particulate matter of ambient air in Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Sinha, S.N.; Desai, N.M.; Patel, G.M.; Mansuri, M.M.; Shivgotra, V.
Journal of Environmental Biology 31(3): 375-378
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0254-8704 PMID: 21047014 Document Number: 644599
Water extract of respirable particulate matter (RPM) was analyzed by Ion chromatography technique to investigate the presence of nitrite (NO2) as secondary aerosol in ambient environment. The nitrite particulates undergo photo hydroxyl radical reaction in environment produce nitrous acid, which reacts with metal and absorbs on RPM as water-soluble metal salt. The mean concentration of nitrite was 20.86 microg m(-3) in ambient environment. Regression analysis showed that the relationship for respirable particulate matter and nitrite (RPM-NO2, R2 = 0.742) was positively significant. We are reporting the presence of nitrite as an aerosol in ambient environment.