Pulak Kumar Patra – författare

Particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air is a key indicator of air pollution. It can be suspended over long time and travel over a long distance in the atmosphere. It can cause a wide range of diseases that lead to a significant reduction of human life. Because of the potent role of PM and its associated pollutants, detailed knowledge of their effects on the environment in general, and human health in particular, is of primary importance.

This book provides an in-depth overview of monitoring of airborne particulates and their sources and transport. The dynamics of nutrients, intake pathways of particulates by human body and other components of environment, and their possible health hazards and effects at different levels and at various organs are discussed. With contributions from well-known experts from diverse research fields, including medical and public health science professions, this book provides an exhaustive information on the health risks of air pollution and explores its control and mitigation strategies.

In addition to providing a scientific basis for particulate air pollution, this book will also help readers, researchers and public health professionals to appreciate the environmental determinants of public health and apply research evidence for improving the quality of life. This will also delineate future research initiatives and policy actions needed with more stringent strategies for protecting the environment in general and human health in particular from PM at local, regional, and global levels.

The book is one of the outcomes of the SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration) project titled "Fine particulates matters in the air environment and their cancer risks in human beings," sponsored by MHRD (now MoE), Govt. of India. The editors of the book are PIs and Co-PIs of the said project. The text deliberates on air pollution''s health risks with contributions from well-known experts from diverse research fields (environmental science, toxicology, geology, public health science, biology, physics, chemistry, and geospatial technology). It explores it its control and mitigation strategies.

The book provides an up-to-date overview of the modern methods and tools used in air quality monitoring and human health risk assessment. Case studies from different global settings offer invaluable insights into air pollution-related regional health issues. It addresses all aspects of air quality, covering indoor-outdoor air pollution, gaseous and particulate pollutants; characterization of source and pathways of air pollutants; and the modeling and assessing of health risks (respiratory, epidemiological, and toxicological) with regional and global perspectives. It also addresses air quality management issues. The lucid explanation of the role of oxidative stress mechanisms and molecular biomarkers (genomics, proteomics) may be considered as inputs into the development of cancer therapeutics.

Along with providing a scientific basis for air pollution, this book will help readers appreciate the environmental determinants of public health and apply research evidence to improve the quality of life. It also delineates future research initiatives and policy actions needed to protect human health from air pollution, locally and globally. The book will be of great educational value and help for consultation and teaching.