Mumbaikars have a reason to worry as the air they breathe in is filled with heavy metals, an analysis conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows.
The data gathered from the air quality monitoring and research laboratory between April 2010 and March 2011 reveals that levels of heavy metals such as lead, iron, copper, cadmium, nickel and chromium has risen in one year.
According to a BMC official, though the rise is not alarming as such, the level points towards deterioration in air quality in the megalopolis.
As per the analysis, levels of iron have recorded a sharp rise at all seven air-monitoring stations – Borivli, Andheri, Khar, Deonar, Maravali, Bhandup and Worli – from where the data has been collected.
The highest level of iron was recorded at Maravali in Chembur. In 2009, Maravali recorded 9.9 ug/m3 (micrograms - one-millionth of a gram - per cubic meter air) of iron in the air. In 2010, this shot up to14 ug/m3.
The presence of the metal has doubled from 0.57 ug/m3 in 2009 to 1.06 ug/m3 in 2010 in Andheri.
In some areas, there has been a marginal drop in the levels of metals. For instance, the levels of lead have dropped in Borivli and Deonar. Copper, too, has shown a dip in Worli and Bhandup.