Pleural anthracosis as an indicator of lifetime exposure to urban air pollution: An autopsy-based study in Sao Paulo

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Several countries responded to this threat by introducing quarantine measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the community. These measures have drastically reduced human activities, causing an impact on urban air pollution due to the associated reduction in automobile use and other polluting activities. We investigated this effect with measurements of Particulate Material (PM10), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Ozone (O3), carried out by the environmental departments of the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for two months in 2020. We compared them with data for the corresponding months in 2019, relating to the social isolation index, measured by the Mathematics and Statistic Institute of São Paulo (IME-USP). The results show a significant decrease in NO2 and CO and an increase in O3, and little change in Particulate Material.

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An improved, practical, computerized atmospheric dispersion model for calculating urban air pollution concentrations

10.2514/6.1977-74 ◽

1977 ◽

Author(s):

D. CHOU ◽

J.-Y. SUNG

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Dispersion Model ◽

Urban Air Pollution ◽

Atmospheric Dispersion ◽

Urban Air ◽

Atmospheric Dispersion Model ◽

Pollution Concentrations

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THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT URBAN LAND USE TYPES ON AIR POLLUTION IN THE MEGACITY OF SÃO PAULO

Revista Presença Geográfica ◽

10.36026/rpgeo.v7i1.5366 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 91

Author(s):

Júlio Barboza Chiquetto ◽

Maria Elisa Siqueira Silva ◽

Rita Yuri Ynoue ◽

Flávia Noronha Dutra Ribieiro ◽

Débora Souza Alvim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Urban Land ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Urban Land Use ◽

São Paulo ◽

Land Use Types ◽

The Impact

A poluição do ar é influenciada por fatores naturais e antropogênicos. Quatro pontos de monitoramento (veicular, comercial, residencial e background urbano (BGU))da poluição do ar em São Paulo foram avaliados durante 16 anos, revelando diferenças significativas devidoao uso do solo em todas as escalas temporais. Na escala diurna, as concentrações de poluentes primários são duas vezes mais altas nos pontos veicular e residencial do que no ponto BGU, onde a concentração de ozonio (O3) é 50% mais alta. Na escala sazonal, as concentrações de monóxido de carbono(CO) variaram em 80% devido ao uso do solo, e 55% pela sazonalidade.As variações sazonais ede uso do solo exercem impactos similares nas concentrações de O3 e monóxido de nitrogênio (NO). Para o material particulado grosso (MP10) e o dióxido de nitrogênio(NO2), as variações sazonais são mais intensas do que as por uso do solo. Na série temporal de 16 anos, o ponto BGU apresentou correlações mais fortes e significativas entre a média mensal de ondas longas (ROL) e o O3 (0,48) e o MP10 (0,37), comparadas ao ponto veicular (0,33 e 0,22, respectivamente). Estes resultados confirmam que o uso do solo urbano tem um papel significativo na concentração de poluentes em todas as escalas de análise, embora a sua influência se torne menos pronunciada em escalas maiores, conforme a qualidade do ar transita de um sistema antropogênico para um sistema natural. Isto poderá auxiliar decisões sobre políticas públicas em megacidades envolvendo a modificação do uso do solo.

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An Urban Air Pollution Early Warning System Based on PM2.5 Prediction Applied in Ploiesti City

Revista de Chimie ◽

10.37358/rc.17.4.5566 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 858-863

Author(s):

Mihaela Oprea ◽

Marius Olteanu ◽

Radu Teodor Ianache

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Early Warning ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Early Warning System ◽

Urban Air Pollution ◽

Warning System ◽

Air Pollutant ◽

Pollution Level ◽

Urban Air ◽

Prediction Approach

Fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 �m (i.e. PM2.5) is an air pollutant of special concern for urban areas due to its potential significant negative effects on human health, especially on children and elderly people. In order to reduce these effects, new tools based on PM2.5 monitoring infrastructures tailored to specific urban regions are needed by the local and regional environmental management systems for the provision of an expert support to decision makers in air quality planning for cities and also, to inform in real time the vulnerable population when PM2.5 related air pollution episodes occur. The paper focuses on urban air pollution early warning based on PM2.5 prediction. It describes the methodology used, the prediction approach, and the experimental system developed under the ROKIDAIR project for the analysis of PM2.5 air pollution level, health impact assessment and early warning of sensitive people in the Ploiesti city. The PM2.5 concentration evolution prediction is correlated with PM2.5 air pollution and health effects analysis, and the final result is processed by the ROKIDAIR Early Warning System (EWS) and sent as a message to the affected population via email or SMS. ROKIDAIR EWS is included in the ROKIDAIR decision support system.

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