Local incomplete combustion emissions define the PM2.5 oxidative potential in Northern India

The oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) is a major driver of PM-associated health effects. In India, the emission sources defining PM-OP, and their local/regional nature, are yet to be established. Here, to address this gap we determine the geographical origin, sources of PM, and its OP at five Indo-Gangetic Plain sites inside and outside Delhi. Our findings reveal that although uniformly high PM concentrations are recorded across the entire region, local emission sources and formation processes dominate PM pollution. Specifically, ammonium chloride, and organic aerosols (OA) from traffic exhaust, residential heating, and oxidation of unsaturated vapors from fossil fuels are the dominant PM sources inside Delhi. Ammonium sulfate and nitrate, and secondary OA from biomass burning vapors, are produced outside Delhi. Nevertheless, PM-OP is overwhelmingly driven by OA from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, including traffic. These findings suggest that addressing local inefficient combustion processes can effectively mitigate PM health exposure in northern India.