IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE ON AIR POLLUTION IN THE KHON KAEN URBAN AREA, THAILAND

Abstract

Agricultural air pollutants contribute to human health problems through exposure to ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, toxic organic compounds, pesticides, and particulate matters. The main air pollution contributor in Khon Kaen including burnt farmland from sugarcane and rice straw resulting in a rising PM2.5 and PM10 level in The Khon Kaen Urban Area was investigated. From a total of street sweeping dust samples collected during 2020, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cu were analyzed by AAS. The research found that burnt farmland had an effect on PM2.5 in January at 75 µg/m3, in February at 80 µg/m3, in March at 72 µg/m3 , in April at 71 µg/m3, in November 51 at µg/m3 and in December at 70 µg/m3 exceeding the WHO standard but not by more than 10 µg/m3 which had no effect on heavy metal accumulation in urban road sediments. Notably, Cd and Ni were not detected in any sampling location. The study area was classified as unpolluted or lowly polluted with Cr and Pb, and had low ecological risk. The findings suggest that the studied heavy metals in street sweeping from the Khon Kaen Urban Area show no threat to the environment. However, air pollution management urgently needs cooperation from all sectors to make it improve.