Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India

Abstract Delhi experiences severe air quality deterioration in winter. The role of atmospheric aerosols is well known for affecting human health, visibility, cloud formation, and other atmospheric processes. Ozone also plays a very important role in the atmospheric chemistry of any city. Previously,...

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Main Authors: Saurabh Dhakad, Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-07-01
Series:Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44408-025-00044-8
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author Saurabh Dhakad
Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha
author_facet Saurabh Dhakad
Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha
author_sort Saurabh Dhakad
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Delhi experiences severe air quality deterioration in winter. The role of atmospheric aerosols is well known for affecting human health, visibility, cloud formation, and other atmospheric processes. Ozone also plays a very important role in the atmospheric chemistry of any city. Previously, high ozone concentrations were observed in Delhi during the lockdown. This article investigates the concentration of ozone in the troposphere with chlorine concentrations. The main anthropogenic sources of chlorine in the atmosphere are coal combustion, biomass burning and, burning chlorinated substances, including plastic waste. To study the relationship between gaseous Cl− (Clg)/HCl and tropospheric ozone (O3), we measured particulate Cl−, Clg, PM10, PM2.5 and ozone on an 8-h interval period during severe air pollution conditions in Delhi (November–December 2023). In this study, average concentrations of ozone, particulate Cl−, PM2.5, PM10, and Clg were recorded as 35.56 μg m−3, 0.91 μg m−3, 219.59 μg m−3, 333.80 μg m−3, and 19.06 μg m−3 respectively. Results showed a significant negative correlation between ozone and particulate Cl− (r = − 0.51) which suggested that higher concentrations of particulate chlorine were associated with lower ozone levels. The study emphasize the need for a larger program involving remote sensing data to explain recent ozone spikes reported in the Delhi region. Graphical Abstract
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Aerosol and Air Quality Research
spelling doaj-art-6ea4f47db50846759dfc7a9d6d8babad2025-08-20T03:46:00ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092025-07-0125711410.1007/s44408-025-00044-8Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, IndiaSaurabh Dhakad0Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha1School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru UniversitySchool of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityAbstract Delhi experiences severe air quality deterioration in winter. The role of atmospheric aerosols is well known for affecting human health, visibility, cloud formation, and other atmospheric processes. Ozone also plays a very important role in the atmospheric chemistry of any city. Previously, high ozone concentrations were observed in Delhi during the lockdown. This article investigates the concentration of ozone in the troposphere with chlorine concentrations. The main anthropogenic sources of chlorine in the atmosphere are coal combustion, biomass burning and, burning chlorinated substances, including plastic waste. To study the relationship between gaseous Cl− (Clg)/HCl and tropospheric ozone (O3), we measured particulate Cl−, Clg, PM10, PM2.5 and ozone on an 8-h interval period during severe air pollution conditions in Delhi (November–December 2023). In this study, average concentrations of ozone, particulate Cl−, PM2.5, PM10, and Clg were recorded as 35.56 μg m−3, 0.91 μg m−3, 219.59 μg m−3, 333.80 μg m−3, and 19.06 μg m−3 respectively. Results showed a significant negative correlation between ozone and particulate Cl− (r = − 0.51) which suggested that higher concentrations of particulate chlorine were associated with lower ozone levels. The study emphasize the need for a larger program involving remote sensing data to explain recent ozone spikes reported in the Delhi region. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1007/s44408-025-00044-8OzoneChlorineHClPlastic waste burningAir pollutionUrban ambient air
spellingShingle Saurabh Dhakad
Umesh Chandra Kulshrestha
Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Ozone
Chlorine
HCl
Plastic waste burning
Air pollution
Urban ambient air
title Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
title_full Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
title_fullStr Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
title_full_unstemmed Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
title_short Role of HCl and Cl2 in the Tropospheric Ozone Formation at Delhi, India
title_sort role of hcl and cl2 in the tropospheric ozone formation at delhi india
topic Ozone
Chlorine
HCl
Plastic waste burning
Air pollution
Urban ambient air
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44408-025-00044-8
work_keys_str_mv AT saurabhdhakad roleofhclandcl2inthetroposphericozoneformationatdelhiindia
AT umeshchandrakulshrestha roleofhclandcl2inthetroposphericozoneformationatdelhiindia