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Air quality and air pollutant index assessment in a peat swamp area prone to self-ignition fires in Kuala Pahang / Teoh Chee Shan

By:

Teoh, Chee Shan [author.]

Material type: Text

text

Media type:

unmediated

Carrier type:

volume

ISBN:

THE0010794 (Local)

Subject(s):

Dissertation note: Thesis (Master of Science) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2026 Abstract: Air pollution in peat swamp ecosystems has become an increasing environmental concern, particularly in areas prone to peatland self-ignition during prolonged dry periods. Such fire events release significant amounts of air pollutants that may pose risks to human health and ecological sustainability. This study aims to assess the characteristics and trends of major air pollutants and the Air Pollutant Index (API) in a peat swamp area located in Kuala Pahang, Malaysia, using real-time air quality monitoring. Continuous air quality data were collected using an Aeroqual AQM 65 monitoring system integrated with the Aeroqual Cloud platform. The monitored parameters included carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 μm (PM10), and less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5). The recorded pollutant concentrations were converted into API sub-index values based on the Department of Environment Malaysia guidelines, and the highest daily sub-index was used to represent the daily API. The results indicate that approximately 90.65% of the recorded API values were classified as good (API < 50), 7.58% as moderate (API 51–100), and 1.77% as unhealthy (API > 100). Among the monitored pollutants, carbon monoxide exhibited relatively higher concentrations compared to other parameters, which may be associated with peatland characteristics as a major carbon reservoir and its susceptibility to smouldering combustion during dry conditions. Temporal analysis further revealed noticeable fluctuations in API values corresponding to seasonal variations. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of real-time air quality monitoring for evaluating air pollution conditions in peat swamp areas. The findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and sustainable management of peat swamp ecosystems to mitigate air pollution risks, protect public health, and preserve their ecological functions as carbon sinks, water regulators, and biodiversity habitats.

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Holdings ( 2 )
Title notes ( 4 )

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Copy number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Thesis	UMPLIB GAMBANG	Non-fiction	FTKA .T46 2026 r Thesis (Browse shelf(Opens below))	1	Not for loan		T000005066
Accompanying Material	UMPLIB GAMBANG	Non-fiction	CD14030 (Browse shelf(Opens below))	1	In Transit		T000005067

Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology

Thesis (Master of Science) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2026

Includes bibliographical references

Air pollution in peat swamp ecosystems has become an increasing environmental concern, particularly in areas prone to peatland self-ignition during prolonged dry periods. Such fire events release significant amounts of air pollutants that may pose risks to human health and ecological sustainability. This study aims to assess the characteristics and trends of major air pollutants and the Air Pollutant Index (API) in a peat swamp area located in Kuala Pahang, Malaysia, using real-time air quality monitoring. Continuous air quality data were collected using an Aeroqual AQM 65 monitoring system integrated with the Aeroqual Cloud platform. The monitored parameters included carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 μm (PM10), and less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5). The recorded pollutant concentrations were converted into API sub-index values based on the Department of Environment Malaysia guidelines, and the highest daily sub-index was used to represent the daily API. The results indicate that approximately 90.65% of the recorded API values were classified as good (API < 50), 7.58% as moderate (API 51–100), and 1.77% as unhealthy (API > 100). Among the monitored pollutants, carbon monoxide exhibited relatively higher concentrations compared to other parameters, which may be associated with peatland characteristics as a major carbon reservoir and its susceptibility to smouldering combustion during dry conditions. Temporal analysis further revealed noticeable fluctuations in API values corresponding to seasonal variations. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of real-time air quality monitoring for evaluating air pollution conditions in peat swamp areas. The findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and sustainable management of peat swamp ecosystems to mitigate air pollution risks, protect public health, and preserve their ecological functions as carbon sinks, water regulators, and biodiversity habitats.