Effects of exposure to rice-crop residue burning smoke on pulmonary functions and Oxygen Saturation level of human beings in Patiala (India)

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) like Force Vital Capacity (FVC), Force Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Force Expiratory Flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF25–75%) and Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) level of 50 healthy inhabitants with respect to rice crop residue burning were investigated for three rice cultivation periods from 2007 to 2009. The subjects were residents of five sampling sites selected in Patiala city. Concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM) of size less than 10 and 2.5 μm (PM10 and PM2.5) were measured by using High Volume Sampler (HVS) and Cascade Anderson Impactor. Results show that rice crop residue burning increases the pollution level in the ambient air, and PFTs undergo a significant decrease in their respective values. No significant change was seen in SpO2 level during rice crop residue burning. In 2008, an increase of 10 μg m− 3 in PM2.5, PM10, SPM and NO2 was associated significantly with decrease in FVC in percentages predicted − 1.541, − 1.002, − 1.178, − 0.232%, respectively. The decrease in air quality due to open rice crop residue burning has sub acute effect on pulmonary functions of healthy subjects and that SO2 and NO2 have less adverse effects on pulmonary functions than with different size Particulate Matter.

► PFTs and Oxygen Saturation level of human subjects were measured for three crop residue burning seasons.
► Ambient air levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were recorded using HVS and Cascade Impactor.
► CRB events raise level of pollutants while PFTs show sudden fall.
► SpO2 levels of human subjects were not disturbed due to CRB activities.
► Impact of PM on human health is more than that of gaseous pollutants like SO2 and NO2.