A Workshop on “Air Quality Monitoring”

Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus organized a one day workshop on "Air Quality Monitoring" in collaboration with American Institute of Pakistan Studies and Inter University Consortium Pakistan on April 19th, 2019. Prof. Dr. Gabriel Filippelli, Professor and Director, Center for Urban Health Department of Earth Sciences Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis was the resource person. The delegates from different government and non-government organizations such as Environmental Services Pakistan, TTI testing laboratories, University of Management &Technology, and Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus actively participated in this event. Dr. Shahid Afghan, CEO Sugarcane Research & Development Board Punjab, was also among the attendees.
The workshop started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Prof. Dr. Robina Farooq, Head of Department of Chemistry, welcomed the guests and briefed about the importance of organizing such workshops for public awareness. Prof. Dr. Gabriel Filippeli in his keynote lecture discussed about the atmospheric visibility deterioration, contribution to climate change and resultant health risk by exposure to activated air pollutants such as ambient particulate matters (PMs), especially fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particles. He also mentioned that PMs with the chemical components such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) related to mutagens and carcinogens may be attributable to adverse health outcomes. He identified its potential sources and estimated resultant health risk of such pollution pathways on living systems. He particularly mentioned the current alarming bad quality of Lahore air and emphasized on taking immediate measures to manage this environmental chaos. An interactive session with Prof. Dr. Gabriel was followed by his talk. A few equipments related to air quality monitoring were also displayed and the participants were briefed about their functioning. The workshop was ended with vote of thanks from Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Farooqui, head academics & research, CUI Lahore Campus.