Air Pollutants During COVID-19 Lockdown Period in India

Recent studies have indicated that certain atmospheric pollutants had significantly reduced in several countries during the lockdown period imposed to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2-Virus. The Government of India declared the first lockdown from the end of March 2020, which continued till June 2020 in most Indian states. The present study compares the air quality indicators nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) across India, during the months of March–August 2020 and the same period in 2019. The application of satellite information from NASA – Ozone Monitoring Instrument and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder were used to compare the quantum of air pollutants. The temporal variation of the air pollutants was studied using satellite imagery and geo-statistics on a monthly, national average basis, to assess the overall impact of the lockdown. NO2, SO2, and O3 showed some level of reduction during the period of study in 2020 when compared to 2019, whereas CO levels had gone up in 2020. NO2, a pollutant mainly arising from motor vehicle combustion, reduced by 3.98–12.1% in 2020 as compared to the same study period in 2019 and in April 2020, when there was a complete lockdown, it had dropped maximally (by 12.1%). The reduction in SO2 levels in 2020 ranged from around 0.5–9% but only during April–June 2020, whereas there was an increase in March, July, and August 2020 when compared to 2019. Despite a reduction in NO2, the O3 levels (which are dependent on NO2 levels) saw an increase in the atmosphere during March–May 2020 by 1.9–5%, and decreased during June–August 2020. The CO levels in the atmosphere did not reduce during lockdown; instead, it peaked in March, April, and May 2020, when compared to 2019, possibly due to incomplete combustion of materials containing carbon materials like wood, plastics, etc. This study demonstrates that it is possible to rapidly reduce atmospheric pollution in India. However, since the level of certain pollutants like O3 are dependent on others like NO2, reducing the atmospheric pollution globally is a sustained and concerted effort by all concerned.

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Occupational exposure to particles and air pollutants in a car paint workshop

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckab120.051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

Ana Ferreira ◽

António Loureiro ◽

Silvia Seco ◽

João Paulo Figueiredo ◽

Susana Paixão ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Air Quality ◽

Occupational Exposure ◽

Occupational Health ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Well Being ◽

Atmospheric Pollutants ◽

Inhalable Particles ◽

The Government

Abstract Background In auto paint workshops there are several chemical, physical and biological agents that are harmful to health, making it essential to guarantee the well-being and safety of workers. In this sense, the assessment of the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of these places, in an associated context of occupational health, proves to be important. Methods The present study had as main objective to evaluate the occupational exposure of workers in an automobile painting workshop to particles and air pollutants. The data collection consisted of the evaluation of air quality, using for this purpose, the assessment of atmospheric pollutants carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), formaldehyde (CH2O), carbon dioxide sulfur (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, breathable and inhalable particles) and the meteorological variables temperature and relative humidity. The collected data was processed using the statistical software IBM SPSS version 27.0. The interpretation of the statistical tests was performed with a 95% confidence level for a maximum random error up to 5%. Results We found that the concentrations of inhalable particles recorded in some workstations exceeded the legally established exposure limit value. Conclusions IAQ should be a priority concern for the government and for all professionals working in the area of Occupational Health and Safety having in mind the implementation of measures that promote the continuous improvement of the IAQ of the facilities, thus guaranteeing a good assessment and monitoring of workstations, preventing atmospheric pollutants from reaching concentrations that could put workers' health at risk.

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Analysis on the Characteristics of Air Pollution in China during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12020205 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 205

Author(s):

Li Dong ◽

Bin Chen ◽

Yue Huang ◽

Zhihao Song ◽

Tingting Yang

Keyword(s):

Air Pollutants ◽

Pollution Prevention ◽

Yangtze River Delta ◽

Atmospheric Pollutants ◽

Distance Method ◽

Period 2 ◽

The Government ◽

Global Threat ◽

Fitting In ◽

Concentration Of Air Pollutants

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious global threat to human health. In China, the government immediately implemented lockdown measures to curb the spread of this virus. These measures severely affected transportation and industrial production across the country, resulting in a significant change in the concentration of air pollutants. In this study, the Euclidean distance method was used to select the most similar meteorological field during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Changes in the concentration of air pollutants in China were analyzed under similar meteorological background conditions. Results indicate that, compared with data from 2015–2019, air quality in China significantly improved; with the exception of ozone (O3), the concentration of major air pollutants declined. Compared with baseline conditions, the reduction of air pollutants in China from 25 January to 22 February 2020 (Period 2) was the most significant. In particular, NO2 decreased by 41.7% in the Yangtze River Delta. In Period 2, the reduction of air pollutants in areas other than Hubei gradually decreased, but the reduction of NO2 in Wuhan reached 61.92%, and the reduction of air pollutants in various regions after February 23 was significantly reduced. By excluding the influence of meteorological factors and calculating the contribution of human activities to atmospheric pollutants by linear fitting, in Period 2 the effect of artificial controls on NO2 in Wuhan attained 30.66%, and reached 48.17% from 23 February to 23 March (Period 3). Results from this investigation provides effective theoretical support for pollution prevention and control in China.

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Asymmetric Open Government Data (OGD) framework in India

Digital Policy Regulation and Governance ◽

10.1108/dprg-11-2017-0059 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

pp. 434-448 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stuti Saxena

Keyword(s):

Economic Value ◽

Open Data ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Open Government ◽

Data Sets ◽

Indian States ◽

Content Type ◽

Open Government Data ◽

Government Data ◽

The Government

Purpose With the ongoing drives towards Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives across the globe, governments have been keen on pursuing their OGD policies to ensure transparency, collaboration and efficiency in administration. As a developing country, India has recently adopted the OGD policy (www.data.gov.in); however, the percolation of this policy in the States has remained slow. This paper aims to underpin the “asymmetry” in OGD framework as far as the Indian States are concerned. Besides, the study also assesses the contribution of “Open Citizens” in furthering the OGD initiatives of the country. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory qualitative following a case study approach informs the present study using documentary analysis where evidentiary support from five Indian States (Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Sikkim and Gujarat) is being drawn to assess the nature and scope of the OGD framework. Further, conceptualization for “Open Citizen” framework is provided to emphasize upon the need to have aware, informed and pro-active citizens to spearhead the OGD initiatives in the country. Findings While the National OGD portal has a substantial number of data sets across different sectors, the States are lagging behind in the adoption and implementation of OGD policies, and while Telangana and Sikkim have been the frontrunners in adoption of OGD policies in a rudimentary manner, others are yet to catch up with them. Further, there is “asymmetry” in terms of the individual contribution of the government bodies to the open data sets where some government bodies are more reluctant to share their datasets than the others. Practical implications It is the conclusion of the study that governments need to institutionalize the OGD framework in the country, and all the States should appreciate the requirement of adopting a robust OGD policy for furthering transparency, collaboration and efficiency in administration. Social implications As an “Open Citizen”, it behooves upon the citizens to be pro-active and contribute towards the open data sets which would go a long way in deriving social and economic value out of these data sets. Originality/value While there are many studies on OGD in the West, studies focused upon the developing countries are starkly lacking. This study plugs this gap by attempting a comparative analysis of the OGD frameworks across Indian States. Besides, the study has provided a conceptualization of “Open Citizen” (OGD) which may be tapped for further research in developing and developed countries to ascertain the linkage between OGD and OC.

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Over-the-Counter Sale of Antibiotics in India: A Qualitative Study of Providers’ Perspectives across Two States

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10091123 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1123

Author(s):

Anita Kotwani ◽

Jyoti Joshi ◽

Anjana Sankhil Lamkang

Keyword(s):

Prescription Drugs ◽

Action Plan ◽

Public Healthcare ◽

Indian States ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Face To Face ◽

Inappropriate Use ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

Poor Access ◽

The Government

India has one of the highest rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide. Despite being prescription drugs, antibiotics are commonly available over-the-counter (OTC) at retail pharmacies. We aimed to gain insight into the OTC sale of antibiotics at retail pharmacies and to elucidate its underlying drivers. We conducted face-to-face, in-depth interviews using convenience sampling with 22 pharmacists and 14 informal dispensers from 36 retail pharmacies across two Indian states (Haryana and Telangana). Thematic analysis revealed that antibiotics were often dispensed OTC for conditions e.g., fever, cough and cold, and acute diarrhea, which are typically viral and self-limiting. Both Access and Watch groups of antibiotics were dispensed for 1–2 days. Respondents had poor knowledge regarding AMR and shifted the blame for OTC practices for antibiotics onto the government, prescribers, informal providers, cross practice by alternative medicine practitioners, and consumer demand. Pharmacists suggested the main drivers for underlying OTC dispensing were commercial interests, poor access to public healthcare, economic and time constraints among consumers, lack of stringent regulations, and scanty inspections. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy which is well aligned with activities under the National Action Plan-AMR, including stewardship efforts targeting pharmacists and evidence-based targeted awareness campaigns for all stakeholders, is required to curb the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

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Air Pollution during Pregnancy and Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189784 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9784

Author(s):

Shu-Yuan Wang ◽

Ya-Yun Cheng ◽

How-Ran Guo ◽

Yen-Cheng Tseng

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Research Database ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard Models ◽

The Government

Air pollutants have been linked to some diseases in humans, but their effects on the nervous system were less frequently evaluated. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurondevelopmental disorders of which the etiology is still unknown. We conducted a study in Taiwan to evaluate the possible associations between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and ASD. From a random sample of one million people in the National Insurance Research Database, we identified all the infants born between 1996 and 2000. We followed them till the end of 2013 and identified cases of ASD. We traced back the mothers’ residence and assessed the exposure to air pollutants using the data obtained from the air quality monitoring database maintained by the government, which included ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matters with diameter less than 10 µm (PM10). Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the associations between childhood ASD and exposures to the pollutants in the three trimesters and the whole gestation. We identified a total of 63,376 newborns and included 62,919 as the study cohort. After adjusting for other risk factors, we observed trimester-specific associations between levels of CO, NO2, and PM10 and the risk of childhood ASD. An increase of 1 ppm of CO in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55–2.39), 1.77 (95%CI: 1.41–2.22), and 1.75 (95%CI: 1.39–2.21), respectively. An increase of 10 ppb in the level of NO2 in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with an HR of 1.39 (95%CI: 1.22–1.58), 1.25 (95%CI: 1.10–1.42), and 1.18 (95%CI: 1.03–1.34), respectively. In conclusion, we found that exposures to CO and NO2 in all three trimesters were associated with increased risks of developing ASD.

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Analisis Pengaruh PPn, PPnBM, dan PKB dengan Tarif Progresif Terhadap Daya Beli Konsumen Kendaraan Bermotor Roda Empat Di Makassar.

Journal of Accounting and Finance (JAF) ◽

10.52103/jaf.v1i1.119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 86-101

Author(s):

Nurul Arfiah Hasibullah ◽

Mursalim Mursalim ◽

Muhammad Su'un

Keyword(s):

Motor Vehicle ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Value Added ◽

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Primary Data ◽

Purchasing Power ◽

The Public ◽

Analysis Technique ◽

The Government ◽

Positive Effect

Pajak adalah kewajiban yang harus dibayar oleh masyarakat pada pemerintah untuk kegiatan pembangunan di segala bidang, Pajak dapat dikatakan keharusan atau kewajiban yang dibayar oleh masyarakat pribadi maupund badan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa pengaruh pengenaan pajak pertambahan nilai, pajak penjualan atas barang mewah dan Pajak kendaraan bermotor tarif progresif terhadap daya beli konsumen. Populasi penelitian ini adalah konsumen kendaraan bermotor roda empat yang ditemui di kantor Badan Pendapatan Daerah Sulawesi Selatan,Pengumpulan data menggunakan data primer yang diperoleh dari kuesioner dengan menggunakan sample Slovin,Teknik analisis data yakni analisis regresi linier berganda.Hasil peneltian yaitu pengenaan PPN tidak berpengaruh terhadap daya beli konsumen, PPnBM mempunyai pengaruh positif signifikan, serta PKB tarif progresif berpengaruh positif pada daya beli konsumen kendaraan bermotor roda empat. Taxes are obligations that must be paid by the public to the government for development activities in all fields. Taxes can be said to be imperatives or obligations paid by private and maupund bodies of society. This study aims to analyze the effect of the imposition of value added tax, sales tax on luxury goods and progressive motor vehicle tax on consumer purchasing power. The population of this study is four-wheeled motor vehicle consumers found in the office of the South Sulawesi Regional Revenue Agency. Collecting data using primary data obtained from a questionnaire using the Slovin sample, the data analysis technique is multiple linear regression analysis. consumer purchasing power, PPnBM has a significant positive effect, and PKB progressive tariffs have a positive effect on the purchasing power of consumers of four-wheeled vehicles.

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Retrievals of Tropospheric Ozone Profiles from the Synergic Observation of AIRS and OMI: Methodology and Validation

10.5194/amt-2018-138 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dejian Fu ◽

Susan S. Kulawik ◽

Kazuyuki Miyazaki ◽

Kevin W. Bowman ◽

John R. Worden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Standard Deviation ◽

Measurement Uncertainty ◽

Tropospheric Ozone ◽

Retrieval Algorithm ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder ◽

Global Coverage ◽

Ozone Monitoring ◽

Wide Swath

Abstract. The Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) on the A-Train Aura satellite was designed to profile tropospheric ozone and its precursors, taking measurements from 2004 to 2018. Starting in 2008, TES global sampling of tropospheric ozone was gradually reduced in latitude with global coverage stopping in 2011. To extend the record of TES, this work presents a multispectral approach that will provide O3 data products with vertical resolution and measurement uncertainty similar to TES by combining the single-footprint thermal infrared (TIR) hyperspectral radiances from the Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument and the ultraviolet (UV) channels from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The joint AIR+OMI O3 retrievals are processed through the MUlti-SpEctra, MUlti-SpEcies, MUlti-SEnsors (MUSES) retrieval algorithm. Comparisons of collocated joint AIRS+OMI and TES to ozonesonde measurements show that both systems have similar errors, with mean and standard deviation of the differences well within the estimated measurement uncertainty. AIRS+OMI and TES have slightly different biases (within 5 parts per billion) versus the sondes. Both AIRS and OMI have wide swath widths (~ 1,650 km for AIRS; ~ 2,600 km for OMI) across satellite ground tracks. Consequently, the joint AIRS+OMI measurements have the potential to maintain TES vertical sensitivity while increasing coverage by two orders of magnitude, thus providing an unprecedented new dataset to quantify the evolution of tropospheric ozone.

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Effect of generator (exhaust) fumes on the growth and development of Lycopersicum esculentus (tomato)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management ◽

10.4314/jasem.v20i2.14 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 335-340

Author(s):

M.N. Chukwu ◽

E.A. Adams

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Analysis Of Variance ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Exhaust Fumes ◽

The Mean ◽

The Government ◽

Level Of Significance ◽

Source Of Pollution

The effects of generator (Exhaust) Fumes on the growth and development of Lycopersicum esculentus were evaluated in this study. It involved sowing ten seeds of L. esculentus in plastic pots. These were allowed to germinate and stabilize for two weeks after which they were exposed to 0.75KVA generator fumes 8 hours a day at the distance of 3 m, 6 m, and 9 m respectively from the source while the control was retained at the planting site. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at 5% level of significance. Although the mean dry weights of the plants increased as the distance of the plants from the source of pollution increased, only the 3 m treatment led to significant reduction of the growth rate of the seedlings (p < 0.05). The heights of the plants were adversely affected by the fume emission especially at the distance of 3 m away from the source (p < 0.05). The leaf number per plant increased as the distance of the plants from the source of pollution increased with significant effects on plant from distance of 3 m and 6 m at the later stage of their growth (p < 0.05). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the plants in the different treatments for the different parameters measured.. Farmers should locate their farmlands at a distance of at least 50 km away from the factories to minimize effect of air pollutants and the government should also place a ban on importation of old generators.Keywords: generator fume, emission, Lycopersicum esculentus, growth, germination

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AGGLOMERATION TAXES IN THE INDIAN STATES DUE TO WIDER ECONOMIC BENEFITS: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT

The Singapore Economic Review ◽

10.1142/s0217590821410113 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-30

Author(s):

SALONI BHUTANI ◽

ALOK KUMAR MISHRA

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Tax Revenue ◽

State Governments ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Indian States ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Indian State ◽

Tax Bases

This paper carries out an empirical study to examine the contribution of urban areas in generating tax revenue and growth at 28 Indian state levels. The study is based on the hypothesis that the productivity and agglomeration externality effects present in cities, known as “wider economic benefits”, lead to enhanced tax bases of State Governments. The cross-sectional estimation has confirmed that urbanization and state gross domestic product per capita significantly contribute to the tax bases of State Governments, such as sales tax, stamps, registration duty and motor vehicle tax. These three agglomeration taxes (including goods and services tax) are recommended for sharing with urban local bodies.

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Linking atmospheric pollution to cryospheric change in the Third Pole region: current progress and future prospects

National Science Review ◽

10.1093/nsr/nwz031 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 796-809 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Shichang Kang ◽

Qianggong Zhang ◽

Yun Qian ◽

Zhenming Ji ◽

Chaoliu Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atmospheric Pollution ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Global Perspective ◽

Atmospheric Pollutants ◽

Future Research ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Research Framework ◽

The Third

ABSTRACTThe Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings are known as the Third Pole (TP). This region is noted for its high rates of glacier melt and the associated hydrological shifts that affect water supplies in Asia. Atmospheric pollutants contribute to climatic and cryospheric changes through their effects on solar radiation and the albedos of snow and ice surfaces; moreover, the behavior and fates within the cryosphere and environmental impacts of environmental pollutants are topics of increasing concern. In this review, we introduce a coordinated monitoring and research framework and network to link atmospheric pollution and cryospheric changes (APCC) within the TP region. We then provide an up-to-date summary of progress and achievements related to the APCC research framework, including aspects of atmospheric pollution's composition and concentration, spatial and temporal variations, trans-boundary transport pathways and mechanisms, and effects on the warming of atmosphere and changing in Indian monsoon, as well as melting of glacier and snow cover. We highlight that exogenous air pollutants can enter into the TP’s environments and cause great impacts on regional climatic and environmental changes. At last, we propose future research priorities and map out an extended program at the global scale. The ongoing monitoring activities and research facilitate comprehensive studies of atmosphere–cryosphere interactions, represent one of China's key research expeditions to the TP and the polar regions and contribute to the global perspective of earth system science.

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