The Indo Gangetic Plain, covering representative areas: one rural and two urban areas in Delhi and one suburban area in Kanpur, was studied during the summer and winter months of 2018, using the PM2.5 filter sampling technique.

The study found that PM 2.5 was uniformly distributed across all five areas, with regional variations corresponding to local sources of formation.

Ammonium chloride, traffic exhaust, fossil fuel vapors, and residential heat-releasing organic aerosols were the major sources inside Delhi.

Ammonium nitrate, sulfate, and organic aerosols were predominantly found outside Delhi.

The primary sources of biofuel combustion releasing organic aerosols were cow dung, wood, and the burning of agricultural waste.

The study emphasizes the need for effective combustion processes for fossil fuels and biomasses, as the oxidative potential of PM develops from the incomplete combustion of these sources