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[February 24, 2006]

Highest atmospheric pollution monitoring station comes into operation in Nepal

(Comtex Environment Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)KATHMANDU, Feb 25, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The highest atmospheric
pollution monitoring station in the world has begun to collect
data on the composition of the atmosphere over the Himalayas and
the Asian plateau, Radio Nepal reported Saturday.

The Ev-K2-CNR Committee's ABC-Pyramid station was set up in
Khumbu Valley of Nepal at a height of 5,079 meters, the state-
owned radio said.

"Continuous measurements are being carried out, using
instruments like nephelometer, DMPS-SMPS, optical particle counter, black carbon and ozone analyzer. All meteorological parameters are
also being monitored," the radio quoted the Ev-K2-CNR Committee as
saying.

"Hi-volume sampling for aerosol chemical composition (inorganic, organic, mass and dust) and steel flask sampling for the analyses
of halocarbons relevant for climate issues have also begun," the
radio said.

ABC-Pyramid will make up for a lack of crucial information from
remote, high altitude areas in the South Asian region on the
environmental consequences of the rapid economic development of
one of the most densely populated areas of the world.

"Stations at High Altitude for Research on the Environment in
Asia (SHARE-Asia) program, aim to provide data on background
conditions of the troposphere, while helping researchers quantify
pollution levels at high altitudes of the Himalayan ridges and
study regional and long-range air mass transport of natural and
anthropogenic compounds," the radio added.

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