Guwahati: A new study from Tezpur University has revealed that people commuting through Tezpur’s busy streets are inhaling extremely high levels of particulate matter—even during short, everyday trips.
The study, conducted by Priyanka Kumari et al., measured exposure to PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 while people walked downtown, waited at bus stands, or travelled in city buses.
Using a portable aerosol spectrometer, the team monitored real-time pollution levels across post-monsoon, winter, and pre-monsoon seasons.
The findings are stark: winter exposure at the city bus stand peaked at an hourly average of 473 µg/m³ for inhalable particles, far exceeding WHO safety guidelines. Even a half-hour walk through downtown during winter could expose a commuter to 57 µg of PM10 and 25 µg of PM2.5—the highest doses recorded in the study.
While buses offered slightly better protection than walking, pollution inside morning buses was still high, especially for the smallest particles (PM1), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
Researchers say these recurring short bursts of exposure—experienced twice a day over years—pose a serious yet overlooked health risk. “Air quality standards focus on 24-hour averages, but commuters face repeated short-term peaks every day. These need urgent attention from policymakers,” the authors warn.
The study links Tezpur’s particulate load to vehicle exhaust, road dust, construction activity, and winter biomass burning.
It shows that smaller cities face pollution patterns similar to larger metros but receive far less policy focus.
The researchers argue this evidence should push authorities to rethink urban planning—by redesigning bus stands, regulating traffic emissions, creating clean pedestrian corridors, and enforcing dust-control measures in smaller cities across South Asia.
As Tezpur continues to grow, the study serves as a reminder: everyday commuting is becoming a silent health hazard—and without intervention, the risks will only rise.
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