LAUSR

Abstract In this investigation, a long term monitoring of flue gas (FG) was performed, which was emerging from a point incinerator, situated in the vicinity of Rawalpindi city of Pakistan. It was aimed to analyze and correlate the spread of particulate matter, and that of exhaust gases in the surrounding residential areas. The study spanned three consecutive years of investigation. The principal component (PCA) and cluster analysis revealed two distinct groups of gasses from the exhaust i.e., C x H x , H 2 S, SO 2 and CO and NO x , NO, NO 2 , and CO 2 in PC 1 and 2, respectively. The distribution of Particulate matter 10 (PM 10 ) remained constant over the period of three years. The concentration of PM 10 remained higher than USEPA safe limits on all the sampling sites. PM 10 on most of the sites correlated with the flue gasses emerging from the point source. The results indicate the influence of the flue gas exhaust on the surrounding environment, and a probable association with the public health.