scholarly journals 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and the impacts on air quality with emphasis on urban, suburban and rural zones

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Klara Slezakova ◽  
Maria Carmo Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Quality Improvements ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Populated Region

AbstractAir quality improvements pollution changes due to COVID-19 restrictions have been reported for many urban developments and large metropolitan areas, but the respective impacts at rural and remote zones are less frequently analysed. This study evaluated air pollution changes across all Portugal (68 stations) considering all urban, suburban and rural zones. PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, ozone was analysed in pre-, during, and post-lockdown period (January–May 2020) and for a comparison also in 2019. NO2 was the most reduced pollutant in 2020, which coincided with decreased traffic. Significant drop (15–71%) of traffic related NO2 was observed specifically during lockdown period, being 55% for the largest and most populated region in country. PM was affected to a lesser degree (with substantial differences found for largely populated areas (Lisbon region ~ 30%; North region, up to 49%); during lockdown traffic-related PM dropped 10–70%. PM10 daily limit was exceeded 50% less in 2020, with 80% of exceedances before lockdown period. SO2 decreased by 35%, due to suspended industrial productions, whereas ozone concentrations slightly (though not significantly) increased (83 vs. 80 µg m–3).

scholarly journals Air Pollution Impacts During 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic: Emphasis on Urban, Suburban and Rural Zones

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klara Slezakova ◽  
Maria Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Quality Improvements ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Air Pollution Impacts ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
Pollution Impacts

Abstract Air quality improvements pollution changes due to COVID-19 restrictions have been reported for many urban developments and large metropolitan areas, but the respective impacts at rural and remote zones are less frequently analysed. This study evaluated air pollution changes across all Portugal (68 stations) considering all urban, suburban and rural zones. PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, ozone was analysed in pre-, during, and post-lockdown period (January-May 2020) and for a comparison also in 2019. NO2 was the most reduced pollutant in 2020, which coincided with decreased traffic. Significant drop (15– 240%) of traffic related NO2 was observed specifically during lockdown period, being 55% for the largest and most populated region in country. PM was affected to a lesser degree (with substantial differences found for largely populated areas (Lisbon region 30–40%; North region: up to 95%); during lockdown traffic-related PM dropped 10–70%. PM10 daily limit was exceeded 50% less in 2020, with 80% of exceedances before lockdown period. SO2 decreased by 35%, due to suspended industrial productions, whereas ozone concentrations slightly (though not significantly) increased (83 vs. 80 µg m− 3).

scholarly journals 90 Days of COVID-19 Social Distancing and Its Impacts on Air Quality and Health in Sao Paulo, Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Debone ◽  
Mariana V. da Costa ◽  
Simone G. E. K. Miraglia
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Risk Function ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Air Quality Improvement

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a unique situation for humanity, reaching up to 5623 deaths in Sao Paulo city during the analyzed period of this study. Due to the measures for social distancing, an improvement of air quality was observed worldwide. In view of this scenario, we investigated the air quality improvement related to PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 concentrations during 90 days of quarantine compared to an equivalent period in 2019. We found a significant drop in air pollution of 45% of PM10, 46% of PM2.5, and 58% of NO2, and using a relative-risk function, we estimated that this significant air quality improvement avoided, respectively, 78, 337, and 387 premature deaths, respectively, and prevented approximately US $720 million on health costs. Moreover, we estimated that 5623 deaths by COVID-19 represent an economic health loss of US $10.5 billion. Both health and economic gains associated with air pollution reductions give a positive perspective of the efforts towards keeping air pollution reduced even after the pandemic, highlighting the importance of improving the strategies of air pollution mitigation actions, as well as the crucial role of adopting efficient measures to protect human health both during and after the COVID-19 global health crisis.

scholarly journals An Optimized Technique for Sharing Air Quality Index using Cloud Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3S) ◽  
pp. 398-401
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Air Quality Index ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Private Cloud ◽  
Cloud Technology ◽  
Healthy State ◽  
Outdoor Environments

This paper studies the sharing the messages of Air Quality Index (AQI) in Metropolitan areas. AQI specifies the percentage of pollutants mixed in air which creates problem in health. The pollutants level in the AQI values is between 0 to 500. Air pollution sensors are used to monitor the air pollution for outdoor environments and the cloud technology is used to display to public via private cloud. Prototype was developed with the aim to create awareness and public engagement in restoring the environment back to its healthy state. Using the prototype, the users can interact with the environment sensors in the field of view to access and visualize latest and historic environment measurements.

scholarly journals Air Pollution Reduction and Mortality Benefit during the COVID-19 Outbreak in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Chen ◽  
Meng Wang ◽  
Conghong Huang ◽  
Patrick L. Kinney ◽  
Paul T. Anastas
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Pollution Reduction ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Quality Improvements ◽  
Mortality Benefit ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Specific Mortality ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

To control the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, China undertook stringent traffic restrictions and self-quarantine measures. We herein examine the change in air pollution levels and the potentially avoided cause-specific mortality during this massive population quarantine episode. We found that, due to the quarantine, NO2 dropped by 22.8 µg/m3 and 12.9 µg/m3 in Wuhan and China, respectively. PM2.5 dropped by 1.4 µg/m3 in Wuhan but decreased by 18.9 µg/m3 across 367 cities. Our findings show that interventions to contain the COVID-19 outbreak led to air quality improvements that brought health benefits which outnumbered the confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 in China

A space-based perspective of trends in air quality in major cities in the UK and India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karn Vohra ◽  
Eloise Marais ◽  
Louisa Kramer ◽  
William Bloss ◽  
Peter Porter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Temporal Consistency ◽  
Quality Improvements ◽  
Routine Monitoring ◽  
Modis Aod ◽  
Surface Measurements ◽  
The Uk

<p>Air pollution is one of the leading global causes of premature mortality, necessitating routine monitoring of air quality in cities where most (55%) people now reside. Surface monitors are sparse and costly to operate, whereas satellites provide global coverage of a multitude of pollutants spanning more than 2 decades. Here we make use of the dynamic range of satellite products to understand long-term changes in air quality in target cities in the UK (London and Birmingham) and India (Kanpur and Delhi). These include nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) from OMI for 2005-2018, formaldehyde (HCHO) from OMI for 2005-2016 to monitor non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) from IASI for 2008-2017 and aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS for 2005-2018 to monitor PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Where surface observations are available (almost exclusively the UK), we first evaluate the ability of the satellite observations to reproduce variability in surface air pollution. We find temporal consistency for most pollutants (R >= 0.5), with the exception of MODIS AOD and surface PM<sub>2.5</sub> (R = 0.3), but the decline in AOD (3.0% a<sup>-1</sup>) and surface PM<sub>2.5</sub> (2.8% a<sup>-1</sup>), so far only evaluated for London, is similar. Inconsistencies result from seasonal variability in the planetary boundary layer, differences in sampling footprint between the satellite and surface monitors, and interferences in the surface measurements (as is the case for NO<sub>2</sub>). We find a decrease in all pollutants in Birmingham and London and an increase in all pollutants in Delhi and Kanpur, over the analysis period, but not all trends are significant. Birmingham and London NO<sub>2</sub> both declined by 2.5% a<sup>-1</sup>, whereas Delhi NO<sub>2</sub> increased by 2.0% a<sup>-1</sup>, so that by the end of 2018 Delhi and London have the same tropospheric column concentrations of NO<sub>2</sub>. Only Delhi exhibits a significant NMVOCs trend (increase) of 1.8% a<sup>-1</sup>. NH<sub>3</sub> trends are not significant in any of the four cities, consistent with bottom-up inventories and lack of direct controls on emissions of this pollutant, mostly from agriculture. These data show no evidence of air quality improvements in Delhi, despite rollout of strict controls on industry and vehicles.</p>

Chinese emissions reductions deliver reduced PM2.5-caused mortality across China during 2015-2017

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Silver ◽  
Luke Conibear ◽  
Carly Reddington ◽  
Christophe Knote ◽  
Steve Arnold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
National Monitoring ◽  
A Minor

<p>Air pollution is a serious environmental issue and leading contributor to the disease burden in China. Following severe air pollution episodes during the 2012-2013 winter, the Chinese government has prioritised efforts to reduce PM<sub>2.5</sub> emissions, and established a national monitoring network to record air quality trends. Rapid reductions in fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) concentrations and increased ozone concentrations have occurred across China, during 2015 to 2017. We used measurements of particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 µm (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) and Ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) from >1000 stations across China combined with similar datasets from Hong Kong and Taiwan to calculate trends in PM<sub>2.5</sub>, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide and O<sub>3</sub> across the greater China region during 2015-2019. We then use the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) regional air quality simulations, to explore the drivers and impacts of observed trends. Using annually varying emissions from the Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China, we simulate air quality across China during 2015-2017, and calculate a median PM<sub>2.5</sub> trends of -3.9 µg m<sup>-3</sup> year<sup>-1</sup>. The measured nationwide median PM<sub>2.5</sub> trend of -3.4 µg m<sup>-3</sup> year<sup>-</sup>. With anthropogenic emissions fixed at 2015-levels, the simulated trend was much weaker (-0.6 µg m<sup>-3</sup> year<sup>-1</sup>), demonstrating interannual variability in meteorology played a minor role in the observed PM<sub>2.5</sub> trend. The model simulated increased ozone concentrations in line with the measurements, but underestimated the magnitude of the observed absolute trend by a factor of 2. We combined simulated trends in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations with an exposure-response function to estimate that reductions in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations over this period have reduced PM<sub>2.5</sub>-attribrutable premature morality across China by 150 000 deaths year<sup>-1</sup>.</p>

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