SMOG CRISIS IN LAHORE: EVALUATING AIR QUALITY TRENDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Seasonal smog renders Lahore, Pakistan, an environment legally with low-quality air and poor health for frequent cases. The smog includes such air pollutants as particulate matter, including PM2.5, PM10, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), which worsens respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Air pollution trends in pre-smog season and during smog season and the related public health consequences of this phenomenon are examined in this research. The study compared the values of air quality parameters, as well as health data on the whole population in Lahore, in the period before smog and the period of maximum smog intensity. The participants consisted of 500 persons, and data about the air quality indicators, including PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2, and SO2, was obtained. Imagery indices, self-reported symptoms, hospitalization, and cardiovascular events were examined. Hypothesis testing analyzing the perception of air quality and confirmed behavioral change were concerned with a survey regarding the usage of masks, awareness of air quality alerts, and frequency of outdoor trips. The data were analyzed and compared using t-tests with a test of significance set at 0.05 for all the tests done in this research. The results of the present study reveal that air quality parameters such as PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2, and SO2 had enhanced values during the smog-burst period as compared to the pre-smog condition. The PM2.5 concentrations were raised from 60.52 µg/m³ to 180.34 µg/m³, and those of PM10 from 85.24 µg/m³ to 230.14 µg/m³. Other effects included improvements and worsening health indicators for persons suffering various ailments during peak smog. Hospital admission per 1000 people rose from 20.42±5.83 to 45.79±10.10 respiratory symptoms rose from 3.23±1.17 to 7.84±1.90 and cardiovascular incidents rose from 1.19±0.41 to 3.52±1.27. The number of asthma, bronchitis, and COPD cases also rose during the peak smog period. Asthma increased from 12.52% to 28.74%, bronchitis from 10.10% to 22.30%, and COPD from 4.93% to 12.12%. Knowledge about air quality alerts and wearing a mask during the smog season also changed respectively. The result demonstrated that Lahore recorded the maximum AQI and pollutants compared to other big cities in Pakistan such as Karachi, Islamabad, and Faisalabad. The findings presented in the paper show an alarming increase in air pollution and adverse effects on human health particularly during the period of smog in Lahore. People’s knowledge and changes in their behavior, including mask-wearing and reduced time spent outdoors, indicate that new and efficient preventive measures in public health and the environment should be developed to combat smog impacts on human health.