PIXE ANALYSIS AND COMPARISION OF AEROSOL SAMPLES FROM RELATIVELY CLEAN AND INDUSTRIALLY POLLUTED CITIES IN NORTHEN INDIA

Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique developed at Variable Energy Cyclotron, Panjab University Chandigarh has been used for the detection of trace elements in the aerosol samples collected from relatively clean and industrially polluted city in northern India. Aerosol samples were collected from Jammu City of Jammu and Kashmir State, which is supposed to have a clean environment and from Mandi-Gobindgarh, one of the most polluted steel city of Punjab. The results from the analysis of these samples show some basic differences in the trace element profile of the two cities. The results further suggest a long term aerosol sample analysis to segregate anthropogenic and natural sources of air pollution. The mean concentration levels of different trace elements in PM10 (Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm) from these two cities of northern India are compared with some of the prominent cities of India.