Comparison of Dispersion Models in the Assessment of Air Quality due to Vehicular Emissions

Abstract

India has made rapid development in industrialization and it is one of the ten most industrialized nations of the world. Increase in technological, industrial and agricultural advancement, coupled with increase in population growth and this development has brought with it surplus and unforeseen consequences such as unplanned urbanization, pollution in terms of generation of noxious gases and particulate emissions and various health impact. Transportation sector, especially the road transportation sector, is one of the key components of economic growth of a country. Road transportation sector in India has registered a sustainable growth rate of 9.9% over the last decade. The total number of registered motor vehicles has increased from about 21.4 million in 1991 to about 142 million in 2011. The rapidly growing vehicle fleet, distance travelled by each vehicle type and change in land use pattern are some of the primary causes of air pollution and consequently deteriorating air quality. The process of burning gasoline to power cars and trucks contributes to air pollution by releasing a variety of emissions into the atmosphere such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen and sulphur oxides, particulate matter and respirable particulate matter, lead, benzene and hydrocarbons.