Investigating the Influence of Seasonal Variability and Urban Green Spaces on Ambient Air Quality in an Urban Environment

Abstract

Global urbanization and increased emissions worsen air pollution, impacting both the environment and health. Despite initiatives like Pakistan’s Clean Air Program and monitoring stations, inadequate management still fails to meet air quality standards, posing risks to environmental health and quality of life. Thus, this study aimed to find out the fluctuations in air quality due to seasonal variations and vegetation cover. The present study was conducted in the spring and autumn season in Faisalabad city at selected locations. A geographic information system (GIS) was utilized to map the air quality parameters in the study area. CO2, CO, temperature, relative humidity (RH), sound intensity, and particulate matter were measured in the city area. Air pollutants were found to be considerably higher than the 24-hour standards of NEQS in spring compared to the autumn season, which harms air quality and health. The CO2, CO, temperature, relative humidity, PM0.5, PM1.0, PM2.5, and sound intensity values ranged from 320-370 and 340-390 ppm, 3.0-5.5, and 8.5-11 ppm, 20-33 and 11-21oC, 30-55 and 40-65%, 20-45 and 30-55 μg/m3, 75-100 and 80-105 μg/m3, 110-135 and 120-145 μg/m3, and 40–65 and 35–60 dB, for spring and autumn seasons respectively. Furthermore, the air quality parameters achieved maximum values in S1 (poorly vegetated areas) rather than S5 (densely vegetated areas). These significant changes in air quality parameters highlight the necessity for frequent monitoring to take proper actions in reducing air contaminants, particularly in poorly vegetated, industrial, and commercial areas.