Based on the quality of air,Top 10 polluted cities in the world :
(source: Time, 2007)
1. Linfen, China
Number of people potentially affected: 3,000,000
Type of pollutant: Coal and particulates
Source of pollution: Automobile and industrial emissions
2. Tianying, China
Number of people potentially affected: 140,000
Type of pollutant: Lead and other heavy metals
Source of pollution: Mining and processing
3. Sukinda, India
Number of people potentially affected: 2,600,000
Type of pollutant: Hexavalent chromium and other metals
Source of pollution: Chromite mines and processing
4. Vapi, India
Number of people potentially affected: 71,000
Type of pollutant: Chemicals and heavy metals
Source of pollution: Industrial estates
5. La Oroya, Peru
Number of people potentially affected: 35,000
Type of pollutant: Lead, copper, zinc and sulfur dioxide
Source of pollution: Heavy metal mining and processing
**6. Dzerzhinsk, Russia **
Number of people potentially affected: 300,000
Type of pollutant: Chemicals and toxic byproducts, including sarin and VX gas
Source of pollution: Cold War-era chemical weapons
7. Norilsk, Russia
Number of people potentially affected: 134,000
Type of pollutant: Air pollution - particulates, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, phenols
Source of pollution: Major nickel and metal mining and processing
8. Chernobyl, Ukraine
Number of people potentially affected: Initially estimated at 5.5 million, currently disputed
Type of pollutant: Radiation
Source of pollution: Nuclear meltdown
9. Sumgayit, Azerbaijan
Number of people potentially affected: 275,000
Type of pollutant: Organic chemicals, oil and heavy metals
Source of pollution: Petrochemical and industrial complexes
10. Kabwe, Zambia
Number of people potentially affected: 255,000
Type of pollutant: Lead and cadmium
Source of pollution: Lead mining and processing
