Reason for Taj Mahal's Discoloration

India's iconic Taj Mahal has been yellowing and for several years, workers apply a clay mask to remove layers of grime.

India's iconic Taj Mahal has been yellowing and for several years, workers apply a clay mask to remove layers of grime and reveal the white marble underneath.

Scientists are getting to the bottom to find the types of pollutants, which cause the discolouring. Their findings could help inform efforts to protect the mausoleum and other surfaces from pollution.

Air Pollution - Pollutants - Health Effect - Efforts to Reduce
Nearly 2.4 million deaths every year are attributable to air pollution. Air pollutants may be solid particles, liquid droplets or gases. Proper planning methods should be adopted to reduce air pollution.

Indian officials have tried to reduce the effects of pollution on the Taj Mahal by restricting nearby traffic and limiting local industrial emissions.

Despite regulations and an occasional deep clean, the domes and minarets continue to accrue a layer of stain. So far, no studies on the specific compounds causing it to appear yellow have been published.

Mike H. Bergin, Sachchida Nand Tripathi and colleagues analyzed particles in the air and on marble samples near the main dome.

Traffic Related Air Pollution Causes Autism in Infants
Autism is characterized by developmental disturbances in social interaction, behavior and language. Air pollutants exposure can lead to autism development in infants and during pregnancy.

The team estimated how these specks reflect light and therefore affect the color of the building using a novel method they developed.

Black carbon and brown carbon from the burning of trash, fuels and other materials are among the primary pollutants tarnishing the Taj Mahal.

Air Pollution and Cancer Incidence: a Danish Cohort Study
Air pollution is on the increase and so are the associated risks. A recently published study links air pollution near residence and cancer.

In the future, their approach could be used to craft strategies to address the chronic yellowing and improve air quality, they say.

Source-Medindia

Pollution Increases the Risk to Heart Ailments
A recent study suggests that higher PM10 and NO2 (traffic associated pollutants) levels are associated with increase in myocardial infarction risk just 1–6 hours later following the exposure.