Abstract

A comparative study of vital capacity of adult males in two different air pollutant zones of Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Author(s): Paulomi Das, Pinaki Chatterjee

There is growing concern about health effects of air pollution in Kolkata. Purpose of present study was analyzing relationship between levels of air pollutants and vital capacity of adultmale living in two different air pollutant zones of Kolkata, West Bengal. Air pollution data of two ambient air qualitymonitoring stations located at Rabindrabharati and VictoriaMemorial was collected fromWest Bengal Pollution Control Board, Kolkata for period from January 2012 to March 2012. Study was conducted on two hundred males of age range 17-22 years, subdivided into two groups from living within 3kmradius of that two monitoring stations. Vital capacitywas measured in standing position with simple spirometer. Results were expressed as mean  SD. Independent samples T test was conducted to compare between two groups. Results revealed that PM10, SO2concentrations were significantly higher in Rabindrabharati, whereas no significant differences were noted in NO2 and CO concentrations though values were higher at Rabindrabharati than Victoria Memorial. Vital capacity was significantly lower in males of Rabindrabharati. Association between higher pollutant concentrations and reduced vital capacity suggested that there may be effect of air pollution on vital capacity as well as lung function in studied population.