This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: On the outskirts of India's capital, a short motorbike ride through the urban area with the world's worst air pollution leaves salesman Kanwar Singh coated in toxic dust. "It enters my throat and lungs," the 55-year-old cigarette seller told AFP, running his hands over his clothes to show the fine dust.
"In the evening, I drink hot water and gargle... only then can I breathe easily." But the dust he brushes off is not the most dangerous threat. The toxic mix of traffic fumes, power station emissions and agricultural fires includes PM2.5—fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, with some entering the bloodstream. Long-term exposure increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease.
Loni, where Singh lives, was one of five areas in the Delhi metropolitan region—home to around 30 million people—to feature among the world's 20 most polluted in an annual ranking by Swiss monitoring firm IQAir. Four other Indian urban areas featured. Over the year, Loni recorded average PM2.5 concentrations of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter—more than 22 times the annual limit of five micrograms recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
During winter pollution peaks, when colder air traps pollutants close to the ground, PM2.5 readings can exceed 800 micrograms per cubic meter—more than 50 times the WHO's 24-hour guideline. Fireworks launched to celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali also worsen the winter smog, with toxic air in parts of New Delhi soaring to more than 58 times the WHO's recommended daily limit on Monday. Few residents wear masks, despite the choking dust.
Many, like Singh, simply cover their faces with scarves or handkerchiefs. "We are poor people," said Singh, who earns around $5 a day. "If we had money, we would have bought an apartment elsewhere." Few can afford homes sealed against pollution or expensive air purifiers.
Loni, with a population of more than 700,000, according to the latest census figures, is a densely packed industrial hub with factories involved in e-waste processing, textile dyeing, plastic recycling and metalworking. Inspections by government air-quality officials in August found "widespread non-compliances" with environmental rules, including factories operating furnaces fueled by wood and coal. Poor roads, construction dust, vehicle emissions and the burning of dirty fuels compound the problem.
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