Mercury in Delhi's air, most harmful to health in South Asia -NCR Delhi air pollution Mercury levels are the highest in South Asia New -Delhi City News

Updated: di, 16 Sep 2025 06:00 am (IST) New -Delhi’s air level is the highest in South Asia which is harmful to health. A study found that mercury levels in Delhi are much higher than Ahmedabad and Pune. The mercury levels are increasing as a result of human activities, but over the past year it has gradually decreased. Sanjeev Gupta, New -Delhi. The air of the national capital is not only polluted, but it also contains harmful health metals. One such metal is mercury. The mercury level in Delhi’s air remains the highest in South Asia. However, a good sign from the study is that mercury levels in Delhi are gradually falling compared to previous years. Remove ad just read the news. A research conducted for six years by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorological Institute (IIITM) in Pune showed that mercury is the highest in Delhi air. It is known that mercury is a toxic metal that is harmful to the nervous system, kidneys and heart. The study also compared the air from Delhi, Ahmedabad and Pune in this study. Its results are even more shocking. The study said that the mercury level in Delhi is 6.9 nanoghar per cubic meter, while in Pune in Ahmedabad 2.1 and 1.5 nanograph per cubic meters. That is, the mercury level in Delhi was 13 times higher than worldwide. Research has shown that 72% to 92% of mercury in these cities is caused by human activities such as burning coal, traffic and industries. This amount of mercury increases in winter and night, caused by coal or straw burning and stable weather. Professor Gufran Baig, president of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, says: “According to the World Health Organization, mercury is one of the ten dangerous public health chemicals.