Narayan Babu Dhital, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Patan Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

About

Dr. Dhital specializes in the field of atmospheric science and air quality and has dedicated his career to this field for over a decade. He obtained a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Chaoyang University of Technology, Taiwan, in 2021 and an M.Sc. in Environmental Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 2013. He has been engaged in teaching and research at various universities since 2013. He worked as a Visiting Research Assistant at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (November 2013 – October 2014) and as a Teaching Assistant at the Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal (February 2015 – December 2016). He also served the Government of Nepal – Department of Environment as an Environment Inspector for one year (2016 – 2017). Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Patan Multiple Campus and Ethical Review Board – Research Directorate, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. 

In addition to his research work, Dr. Dhital has been actively contributing to scholarly services, serving as an editorial board member for BMC Environmental Science and as a peer reviewer for over a dozen journals published by reputable publishers.  He has also been involved in organizing international conferences and seminars.

Research Interest

Vehicle Emission Characterization; Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS); Exposure and Health Risk Assessment; Satellite Remote Sensing of Air Pollution

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (Indexed in Scopus and/or Web of Science)

(*Corresponding Author)

2024

Dhital, N.B., Sapkota, R.P., Sharjeel, A., Yang, H.H.*, 2024. Estimating potentially preventable ambient PM2.5-attributable adult deaths by improving air quality in Nepal. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 15, 102175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2024.102175

Dhital, N.B.*, 2024. Comparing the characteristics of ambient fine particle pollution episodes across South Asian cities. Environmental Challenges, 15, 100912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.100912 

2023

Yang, H.H., Dhital, N.B.*, Lai, Y.H., Chan, T.Y., 2023. Intermodal comparison of commuters' exposure to VOCs between public, private, and active transportation. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195, 1485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12125-5 

Bhandari, R.*, Dhital, N.B., Rijal, K., 2023. Effect of lockdown and associated mobility changes amid COVID-19 on air quality in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195, 1337. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11949-5 

Sapkota, R.P.*, Dhital, N.B., Rijal, K., 2023. Fire-mediated biomass loss of woody species seedlings causing demographic bottleneck in the Terai forests of central Nepal. Global Ecology and Conservation, 48, e02705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02705

2022

Dhital, N.B., Bhattarai, D.R., Sapkota, R.P., Rijal, K., Byanju, R.M., Yang, H.H.*, 2022. Comparing the change in air quality during the COVID-19 lockdown between dry and wet seasons in Nepal. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 22, 220201. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220201

Dhital, N.B., Wang, L.C., Yang, H.H.*, Lee, C.H., Shih, W.H., Wu, C.S., 2022. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public bus occupancy and real-world tailpipe emissions of gaseous pollutants per passenger kilometer traveled. Sustainable Environment Research, 32, 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-022-00146-7

Dhital, N.B., Wang, L.C., Yang, H.H.*, Cheruiyot, N.K., Lee, C.H., 2022. Characterizing real-world particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from diesel-fueled construction machines. Atmosphere, 13, 766. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13050766

Islam, M.R., Li, T., Mahata, K., Khanal, N., Werden, B., Giordano, M.R., Praveen Puppala, S., Dhital, N.B., Gurung, A., Saikawa, E., Panday, A.K., Yokelson, R.J., DeCarlo, P.F., Stone, E.A.*, 2022. Wintertime air quality across the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Concentration, composition, and sources of fine and coarse particulate matter. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 6, 2955–2971. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.2c00243

2021

Dhital, N.B., Wang, S.X., Lee, C.H., Su, J., Tsai, M.Y., Jhou, Y.J., Yang, H.H.*, 2021. Effects of driving behavior on real-world emissions of particulate matter, gaseous pollutants and particle-bound PAHs for diesel trucks. Environmental Pollution, 286, 117292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117292

Yang, H.H., Dhital, N.B.*, Cheruiyot, N.K., Wang, L.C., Wang, S.X., 2021. Effects of road grade on real-world tailpipe emissions of regulated gaseous pollutants and volatile organic compounds for a Euro 5 motorcycle. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 12, 101167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2021.101167

Islam, M.R., Li, T., Mahata, K., Khanal, N., Werden, B., Giordano, M.R., Praveen, P.S., Dhital, N.B., Gurung, A., Panday, A.K., Joshi, I.B., Poudel, S.P., Wang, Y., Saikawa, E., Yokelson, R.J., DeCarlo, P.F., Stone, E.A.*, 2021. Wintertime air quality in Lumbini, Nepal: Sources of fine particle organic carbon. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 5, 226–238. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00269

Shrestha, S., Baral, B., Dhital, N.B., Yang, H.H.*, 2021. Assessing air pollution tolerance of plant species in vegetation traffic barriers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Sustainable Environment Research, 31, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-020-00076-2

2020

Yang, H.H., Dhital, N.B.*, Wang, Y.F., Huang, S.C., Zhang, H.Y., 2020. Effects of short-duration vehicular traffic control on volatile organic compounds in roadside atmosphere. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 11, 419–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2019.11.016

Yang, H.H., Gupta, S.K.*, Dhital, N.B., 2020. Emission factor, relative ozone formation potential and relative carcinogenic risk assessment of VOCs emitted from manufacturing industries. Sustainable Environment Research, 30, 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-020-00068-2

Yang, H.H., Gupta, S.K.*, Dhital, N.B., Wang, L.C., Elumalai, S.P., 2020. Comparative investigation of coal- and oil-fired boilers based on emission factors, ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potentials of VOCs. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 92, 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2020.02.024

2019

Dhital, N.B., Yang, H.H.*, Wang, L.C., Hsu, Y.T., Zhang, H.Y., Young, L.H., Lu, J.H., 2019. VOCs emission characteristics in motorcycle exhaust with different emission control devices. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 10, 1498–1506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2019.04.007

Yang, H.H., Dhital, N.B.*, Wang, L.C., Hsieh, Y.S., Lee, K.T., Hsu, Y.T., Huang, S.C., 2019. Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter in gasoline and diesel vehicle exhaust. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 19, 1439–1449. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0191

Yang, H.H., Gupta, S.K.*, Dhital, N.B., Lee, K.T., Hsieh, Y.S., Huang, S.C., 2019. Establishment of indicatory metals for filterable and condensable PM2.5 emitted from important stationary emission sources. Energy & Fuels, 33, 10878–10887. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b02889

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (Indexed in NepJOL - Nepal Journals Online)

Sapkota, H., Dhital, N.B., Manandhar, R., Sapkota, R.P.*, 2022. Vegetation assemblage and carbon stock in the sacred groves of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Journal of Environment Sciences, 8, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jes.v8i1.53649

Dhital, N.B.*, Hung, W.T., Byanju, R.M., 2014. Air pollution inside public transport vehicles of Kathmandu Valley. Nepal Journal of Environmental Science, 2, 35–41. https://doi.org/10.3126/njes.v2i0.22739

Selected Conference/Seminar Presentations

Dhital, N.B., Yang, H.H., 2023. Estimating Preventable PM2.5-Attributable Premature Deaths by Improving Air Quality in Nepal. 2023 IEEE 5th International Conference on Architecture, Construction, Environment and Hydraulics, Chaoyang University of Technology. Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung City, Taiwan, & Online. 1–3 December 2023. (Oral presentation/Online)

Dhital, N.B., Wang, S.X., Hsieh, Y.S., Lee, C.H., Zhang, H.Y., Tsai, S., Su, J., Hsu, C.Y., Tsai, M.Y., Hsu, C.H., Jhou, Y.J., Yang, H.H., 2020. Investigating the effects of driving behavior and routes on the real-world emission of particulate and gaseous air pollutants from heavy-duty diesel trucks using a PEMS. 27th International Conference on Aerosol Science and Technology and Conference on Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Air Quality Improvement, Taiwan Association of Aerosol Research (TAAR). National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, Yunlin, Taiwan., September 25-26, 2020, Oral presentation.

Dhital, N.B., Yang, H.H., 2020. Real-world emission factors of particulate and gaseous air pollutants for the construction equipment operated in a typical brick factory. Air Pollution Control Technology Conference, Chinese Institute of Environmental Engineering. National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, November 27-28, 2020, Oral presentation.

Dhital, N.B., Lee, K.T., Huang, S.C., Hsieh, Y.S., Zhang, H.Y., Yang, H.H., 2019. Effects of short-duration vehicular traffic control on roadside concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Air Pollution Control Technology Conference. Chinese Institute of Environmental Engineering. Hungkuang University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, November 22-23, 2019, Poster presentation. 

Dhital, N.B., 2022. Public bus ridership and per capita emission of air pollutants before and during the COVID 19 pandemic. International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, Integrated Land Ecosystem Atmosphere Processes Study-iLEAPS. Online Seminar, 5 September 2022, Oral presentation.

Dhital, N.B., 2022. Intermodal comparison of air pollutant emissions and commuters' exposure between public and private modes of passenger transportation. Pralad Yonzon Conservation Forum-115, Resources Himalaya Foundation. Kathmandu, Nepal, 10 November 2022. Oral presentation. 

Dhital, N.B., 2014. Urban transport in Kathmandu Valley: Environmental and social issues. Fourth Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Mobility Forum, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, UN-Habitat, and Clean Air Asia, Kathmandu. Hotel Shankar, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2, 2014, Oral presentation. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16699.11049

Dhital, N.B., Hung, W.T., Lee, S.C., 2014. Air quality and drivers’ health in public buses of Kathmandu Valley. Integrated Conference of Better Air Quality 2014 and Intergovernmental 8th Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum in Asia, Clean Air Asia. Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, Colombo, Sri Lanka, September 19-21, 2014, Poster presentation. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.26765.44002

Dhital, N.B., Sapkota, R.P. and Byanju, R.M., 2013. Technological and financial viability of charcoal production practices in Community Forest. Rentech Symposium, Kathmandu University. Hotel Annupurna, Kathmandu, Nepal, Oral presentation.

Scholarly Services

Honors & Awards

Nepal Bidyabhusan Padak-Ka (नेपाल विद्याभूषण पदक-क) to be conferred by the President of Nepal (name list announced on National Education Day -2023, 19 September 2023)

Excellent Ph.D. Paper Award by Chinese Institute of Environmental Engineering, Taiwan, during Air Pollution Control Technology Conference, National Central University, Taiwan, November 27-28, 2020.

Research Excellence Scholarship by Chaoyang University of Technology, Taiwan (2019, 2020, 2021)

International Ph.D. Scholarship by Chaoyang University of Technology, Taiwan (2018-2021)

Nepal Bidyabhusan Padak-Kha (नेपाल विद्याभूषण पदक-ख) conferred by the President of Nepal on 8 September 2015 (National Education Day & International Literacy Day-2015)

Receiving Nepal Bidyabhusan Padak-Kha (नेपाल विद्याभूषण पदक-ख) from the President of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav on 8 SEP 2015 (National Education Day & International Literacy Day-2015)

Research Grants

Small Research Development and Innovation Grant awarded by University Grants Commission - Nepal (Grant Number: SRDIG-79/80-S&T-03), 2023

Project Title: Investigating In-Cabin Air Quality and Ventilation in Public Buses in the Kathmandu Valley