Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL)

Why in News?

On 24 October 2026, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) at the Delhi branch of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Established under Mission Mausam, the facility aims to identify pollution sources, analyse atmospheric pollutants and assess their potential health impacts in Delhi-NCR.

Key Features of AATAL

• Purpose: To provide scientific information on the sources, composition and potential health impacts of air pollution.
• Location: Delhi branch of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
• Initiative: Established under Mission Mausam.
• Pollutant analysis: Equipped to analyse atmospheric gases, aerosols, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), metals, toxic elements and other pollutants.
• Source identification: Helps distinguish the contributions of:
  • Vehicular emissions
  • Industrial activities
  • Biomass and crop-residue burning
  • Construction and road dust
  • Pollution transported from neighbouring regions
• Targeted action: Helps authorities move beyond AQI readings towards source-specific pollution-control measures.

Integration with AIRWISE

AATAL has been integrated with IITM’s AIRWISE (Air Quality Warning and Integrated Decision Support System for Emissions).

Key capabilities of AIRWISE include:

• Combining air-quality observations, forecasts and pollution source-apportionment information.
• Providing forecasts at a spatial resolution of 400 metres.
• Forecasting air quality for the next 72 hours.
• Helping authorities assess how pollution levels and their likely sources vary across different parts of Delhi.

AATAL vs AQI

Parameter	Air Quality Index (AQI)	AATAL
Primary purpose	Communicates the level of ambient air pollution and associated health concerns	Analyses pollutant composition and identifies pollution sources
Main focus	Overall air-quality status	Sources, chemical composition and potential toxicity
Policy relevance	Helps communicate pollution severity and inform public advisories	Supports targeted interventions against specific pollution sources

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