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PM2.5, PM10 mass levels at six and BC levels at one station were monitored at the tropical megacity, Bengaluru, India, for the year 2019. The annual average levels of PM2.5, PM10 and BC were 31, 73 and 2.72 µg/m3 respectively. PM2.5 levels were within the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standard (INAAQS) value of 40 µg/m3 whereas that of PM10 exceeded INAAQS level of 60 µg/m3 for the year 2019 for all six stations. The season-wise diurnal variability of PM and BC shows bimodal peaks, first one in the morning and the second one in the late evening hours in all the stations. These peaks correspond to rush traffic hours and lower PBL height. The correlation analysis of PM and BC with meteorological parameters is presented. The data are also analysed for the Deepavali festival. The PM2.5 levels in festival have doubled, PM10 levels increased by more than 50 %, while BC showed marginal increase. Further, the night-time levels of PM and BC were higher than the daytime during the festival. The health risk assessment using Air Q+ for the city of Bengaluru for 2019 shows highest PM exposure risk to ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring 222Rn and 226Ra concentrations were investigated in groundwater samples collected from different parts of South Bengaluru city using Smart RnDuo monitor developed indigenously by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India. The study area has been divided into two zones on the basis of external gamma radiation dose rates as zone A (100–200 nSv/h) and zone B (above 200 nSv/h). Radon concentration in groundwater for various sites, both supported (contribution from dissolved 226Ra in water) and unsupported (contribution from aquifer rock), was estimated. Assuming that 238U and 226Ra are roughly in secular equilibrium in the aquifer rock, a model has been proposed to predict the uranium (238U) content in the aquifer rocks using onsite measured 222Rn concentration and dissolved 226Ra concentration in the groundwater. Results of a case study carried out at South Bengaluru city, Karnataka, India have been discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring 222Rn and 226Ra concentrations were investigated in groundwater samples collected from different parts of South Bengaluru city using Smart RnDuo monitor developed indigenously by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India. The study area has been divided into two zones on the basis of external gamma radiation dose rates as zone A (100-200 nSv/h) and zone B (above 200 nSv/h). Radon concentration in groundwater for various sites, both supported (contribution from dissolved 226Ra in water) and unsupported (contribution from aquifer rock), was estimated. Assuming that 238U and 226Ra are roughly in secular equilibrium in the aquifer rock, a model has been proposed to predict the uranium (238U) content in the aquifer rocks using onsite measured 222Rn concentration and dissolved 226Ra concentration in the groundwater. Results of a case study carried out at South Bengaluru city, Karnataka, India have been discussed in the paper., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)