A high-resolution emission inventory of anthropogenic pollutants for an industrial city in Eastern India

A high-resolution emission inventory was prepared for the anthropogenic sources of primary air pollutants with a spatial resolution of 1km×1km for the Haldia region in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Haldia region is a core of major petrochemical industries, oil refineries, and port activities. For the preparation of the emission inventory, the source sectors were divided into residential, industrial, transportation, marine, crematoria, thermal power plants, solid waste burning, and brick kilns. The emissions of seven primary pollutants, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), particulate matter (PM_2.5), black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) were estimated. To collect activity-based information, municipal authority, annual reports of industries, and publicly accessible data were consulted. Emission factors from various literature were used for the estimation of emissions. The emission inventory was developed using a bottom-up approach for base year 2021 and the spatial maps were prepared using ArcGIS.

The transportation sector was responsible for 71%, 42%, and 75%, respectively of NO_x, BC, and NMVOC emissions. Industries and thermal power plants were the primary contributors to SO₂ emissions, accounting for 38% and 36%, respectively of total SO₂ emissions. In addition, the residential sector accounted for 53%, 40%, and 44% of OC, PM_2.5, and CO emissions respectively. The Haldia Municipality wards 5, 6, 9, 11, and 13 were identified as emission hotspots. Terapakhya town was the hotspot for all pollutants except NO_x and NMVOC emissions. Traffic intersections at city centre and ranichak were the highest emitters of NO_x emissions.

This emission inventory serves as the first baseline information for the emissions in the region and can be further utilized to perform initial air quality studies for the Haldia region. A comprehensive plan to eliminate air pollution in Haldia and the encompassing area can be developed with the use of this emission inventory.