Table: Comparison of air quality standards, ambient air quality in Bangladesh, and health effects of pollutants.
|
Pollutant |
Averaging Time |
WHO Standards |
US Standards |
Bangladesh Standards |
Ambient Concentration in Dhaka |
Major Source |
Health Problems |
|
CO Carbon monoxide |
1 hour |
30 mg/m3 |
9 ppm 10 mg/m3 |
|
11 ppm (instantaneous average) |
Automobile |
Hinders O2 transport from blood into tissues, Cardiac |
|
8 hour |
10 mg/m3 |
35 ppm 40 mg/m3 |
|
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|
Pb Lead |
24 hour |
0.5-1. ug/m3 |
|
|
4.63 ug/m3 |
Leaded fuel |
Hindered neurological development of children and risk of high blood pressures, heart attack for adults |
|
Quarterly |
|
1.5 ug/m3 |
|
|
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|
NO2 Nitrogen dioxide |
Annual |
|
0.053 ppm 100 ug/m3 |
80 ug/m3 (Residential) 100 ug/m3 (Commercial) |
41.8 ug/m3 |
|
Respiratory problems and chest pain |
|
24 hour |
150 ug/m3 |
|
|
0.063 ppm 119 ug/m3 |
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|
O3 Ozone |
1 hour |
150 - 200 ug/m3 |
0.12 ppm 235 ug/m3 |
|
|
|
Respiratory, asthma, eye irritation, heart attack |
|
PM10/TSP/SPM |
Annual |
60-90 ug/m3 |
50 ug/m3 |
200 ug/m3 (Residential) 400 ug/m3 (Commercial) |
1245-1601 ug/m3 (Commercial) 445 ug/m3 (Residential) |
|
Respiratory, cardiovascular and lung disease, bronchitis |
|
24 hour |
150-230 ug/m3 |
150 ug/m3 |
|
|
|
||
|
SO2 Sulfur dioxide |
Annual |
40-60 ug/m3 |
0.03 ppm 80 ug/m3 |
80 ug/m3 (Residential) 100 ug/m3 (Commercial) |
472.9 ug/m3 (Commercial) 63.5 ug/m3 (Residential) |
|
Respiratory, chest pain, premature mortality. |
|
24 hour |
100-150 ug/m3 |
0.14 ppm 365 ug/m3 |
|
|
|
Note: ug stands for microgram.