Overview
- The Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) was inaugurated at IITM and began supplying experimental real-time source-apportionment and forecasts after its Oct. 24 launch.
- AATAL houses about 25 advanced instruments purchased for roughly Rs 79.5–80 crore and feeds data into IITM’s decision-support system that claims 400-metre, 72-hour air-quality forecasts.
- Early AATAL outputs show vehicles as the single largest identifiable source at about 25% while secondary organic and inorganic aerosols together made up a large share, and secondary particles form in the air when gases such as VOCs, SO2, NOx and NH3 chemically convert to particulates.
- Independent checks found AATAL’s absolute PM2.5 totals were substantially lower than the Central Pollution Control Board network on at least one day and IITM admits teething issues while its model still runs on a 2021 emissions inventory compiled from 2016 surveys.
- Officials say AATAL is meant to support CAQM and local GRAP responses, but its practical policy value will depend on resolving measurement discrepancies, developing methods to trace secondary aerosols to original sources, and updating emissions fields by mid-2027.