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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/FWSH/02
Assessment of air quality of major cities of Pakistan and its health impact

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Shabana Bano* ; Imran Hashmi
1,2 Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE), School of Civil and
Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Sciences and Technology
(NUST), H-12, Islamabad, Pakistan
Correspondence:shabanabano300@gmail.com

Abstract
The aim of present study was to compare the ambient air quality of major cities of Pakistan
which includes Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and
Islamabad and its adverse health impact on community. Exposure to fine particles may cause
short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing,
mucus dripping and shortness of breath. Meteorological parameters and air quality index
(+IQAir) data for selected major urban cities was obtained from two sites namely time and date
and +IQAir site for the year 2020. Parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, pressure
and wind speed, and air quality index in terms of particulate matter 2.5 µg/m³ was studied.
According to WHO ambient air quality guidelines for air quality index regarding fine
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particulate matter is less than 50. The mean of AQI ranged between 14.1 to 203.9 μg/m in
most regions. It was found that average the Air quality index in 2020 were much lower in
Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi is 39, 42.4 and 43.8 and higher in Gujranwala, Faisalabad,
Bahawalpur and Lahore are 62.1, 73.2, 78.7 and 79.2. The concentrations of the pollutants were
much higher in winter than those in summer and significant linear correlation was found among
pollutant and meteorological conditions temperature, humidity, and wind speed. In terms of
the health endpoints attributable to air quality, 250,000 people die annually due to
cardiovascular diseases, 39 deaths per 100,000 people from respiratory diseases, 220,000 cases
of lung cancer and 3.5 million cases of chronic bronchitis cases annually. Study concludes that
according to air quality index Islamabad was the cleanest city and the Lahore was most polluted
city in Pakistan. Outcomes were very important to clarify the current situation of air quality
and its health impacts in Pakistan. This study provides important information to public health
regarding daily risk from air pollution. These findings improve our understanding of the extent
to which air quality alerts prompt people to take actions to protect their health amidst poor air
quality.

Key words: Air quality index; PM2.5; health issues; meteorological Parameters

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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