Assessment of Air Pollutants Variability across Urban and Peri-Urban Atmosphere of Bengaluru

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
² Department of Civil Engineering, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This study investigates diurnal and seasonal variations of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NOx, SO₂, and CO across ten urban and peri-urban locations in Bengaluru, India, using six years (2019-2024) of hourly data from CPCB and KSPCB air pollutants monitoring stations. Sites were selected to represent traffic dominated urban cores and transitional peri-urban zones. Quality controlled datasets and statistical analyses, combined with meteorological information, were used to identify temporal trends and key factors influencing pollutant behavior. The study analysis air pollution dynamics in urban and peri-urban areas, revealing distinct emission patterns and controlling factors, Urban areas exhibit higher pollutant concentrations with clear morning and evening peaks driven by traffic emissions, while peri-urban areas show lower average levels but greater variability due to intermittent sources such as industries and biomass burning. Seasonally, air pollution is lowest during the monsoon because of rainfall and enhanced dispersion and highest during winter and post-monsoon periods due to stable atmospheric conditions that promote pollutant accumulation.