NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON AIR TOXICS IN ENVIRONMENT (BTX, VOC, PAH)

Workshop on Air Toxics in Environment (BTX, VOC, PAH) was organised by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with Indo-German Project on March 7-8, 2002 in Delhi.

Objective of the workshop was to provide an opportunity to officials of CPCB/SPCB’s & other Organisations working in this area to share their experiences, harmonising methodology of sampling & analysis for BTX and PAH’s, quality assurance and setting up of air quality standards for these air toxics. During the workshop participants shared their views. The officials from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)- Research & Development, Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital (LNJP) , Patel Chest Institute, Indian Toxicological Research Centre (ITRC), Tata Energy Research Institute(TERI), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL), Indo-German Project, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Central Pollution Control Board participated in the workshop and numbers of papers on above themes were presented. From the discussion held during presentations the following issues emerged:

Identification of Air Toxics to be monitored (BTX, VOC, PAH, Dioxin & Furans).

Selection of methods for monitoring.

Sampling (strategy and techniques)

Analysis (Processing and Measurement).

Preparation of manual for sampling and analysis.

Standardisation / Validation of selected method involving various labs/ organisations.

Sampling programme : Frequency, Location and Duration of sampling /monitoring.

Quality Assurance/ Quality Control Programme

With in lab/ Internal

Between Labs / External

Data management

Strengthening of SPCB’s/ PCC’s laboratories.

Instrumentation and infrastructure facilities

Training

Ambient Air quality standards (Present 2005, 2010)

Short term (24 hrly)

Long term (annual mean, running annual mean)

Methodology for preparation of inventory of air toxics.

Prevention and control option of air toxics

The issues were deliberated by a panel group comprising rexperts from CPCB, Indo-German Project, SES-JNU, LNJP, BARC, NEERI, SAIL- R&D, HOCL.

Three inter - organisational working group of experts have been constituted to work on different aspects as listed above to formulate the various guidelines .

Workshop Photographs: