Air Quality Studies

The Environmental Division of NBRO initiated its first Continuous Air Monitoring Programme (CAMP - Phase I) using low cost semi-quantitative methods for the monitoring of SO₂ and dust at 49 locations within the City of Colombo. This programme was started in March 1989 and continued till August 1991. This was considered as the first major effort in the field of continuous ambient air quality monitoring in Sri Lanka. The aim of this project was to get a qualitative picture of air pollution in Colombo.

Base on the results of (CAMP - Phase I) , the (CAMP - Phase II) was initiated for the analysis of ambient SO₂, NO₂, CO, SPM and Particulate Lead, quantitatively at seven (07) selected locations in Colombo, representing different land use. This Programme was started in September, 1992 and continued till September, 1993.

The valuable efforts as ambient air pollution monitoring led the NBRO to be declared as the authorized body for the ambient Air Quality Monitoring and Modeling in 1992 by the "Clean Air 2000" Action Plan, prepared by the Committee appointed by the Cabinet in 1992 compressing of several government and State Sector Organisation responsible for ambient air pollution and pollution prevention. This Committee was chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and the Central Environmental Authority of  Sri Lanka was identified as the convener of meetings.

To measure and establish the extent of air pollution in Sri Lanka the "Clean Air 2000" Action Plan Committee initiated a Continuous Air Quality Monitoring and Management Programme with the assistance of the World Bank and the Government of Sri Lanka. This programme was initially funded by the Air Pollution Monitoring and Management Component of the "Colombo Urban Transport Project" and the NBRO was identified as the executing agency of this programme.

Under this programme two fixed and one mobile fully automated continuous ambient air quality monitory laboratory units were received and each could measure ambient SO₂, NO₂, NO_x, CO, O₃, PM10, and meteorological parameters such as Wind Direction, Wind Speed, Vertical Wind Speed, Solar Radiation, Ambient Temperature and Rain Fall continuously. Two fixed stations were set up within the Colombo Municipal Area to measure the peak and background air pollution in Colombo. This programme had been executed by the NBRO as its CAMP-Phase III since December 1996.

At present, NBRO is continuing its CAMP-Phase IV from year 2000 to establish a passive sampling network in Colombo Urban Area (75Km²) with the assistance of National Research Council of Sri Lanka.

Recently, a study has been carried out with the assistance of Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo to establish the effects of air pollution to childhood wheezy episode in Colombo. Several studies have been carried out by the Division to establish the reliability of existing methodologies on wet-chemical analysis of air pollution and also to develop the new methodologies for monitoring of ambient SO₂ , NO₂, NO_x and lead.

In Addition This Section Offers Services On:

1. Monitoring of ambient air pollutants for EIA / IEE Studies and for Baseline Surveys.
2. Monitoring of point source /stack emissions for Environmental Protection Licensing Purposes.
3. Monitoring of noise levels for EIA/ IEE and baseline surveys and for Environmental Protection Licensing Purposes.
4. Modeling of dispersion of Air Pollutants for Environmental Assessments.
5. Noise transmission modeling for Environmental Assessments.
6. Preparation of practical environmental guide lines.
7. Participation in National and International level programmes related to air quality monitoring.

Back