Hyderabad saw alarming increase in ground level ozone pollution

A recent study by Pollution Control Board in Hyderabad revealed alarming results in respect of ground level ozone pollution. The ozone level in ground level indicates the inclusion of primary pollutants like Corbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide Oxides and Hydrocarbons etc. According to standards, the ground level ozone levels should not cross 100 µg/m3 over a period of eight hours and 180 µg/m3 in an hour. The PCB officials set monitoring devices for recording ground level ozone and recorded the readings between 12am of October 14th to 11.55 PM on October 20th. The data has been divided into three clusters viz., 12am - 8am, 8am-4pm, 4pm-12am. It was measured that the ground level ozone levels has increased substantially in the period 8am-4pm where vehicle traffic attributed as a reason for increase. The maximum value recorded in eight hour slot is on October 19, 8am -4pm where it touched 153.83µg/m3 and remaining days it was recorded between 100.51-136.88µg/m3. This increase in ground level ozone pollution may affect the residents health.