1. Impact of lockdown on air quality over major cities across the globe during COVID-19 pandemic
- Author
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Durga Toshniwal and Pratima Kumari
- Subjects
PM 10 ,COVID-19, Coronavirus diseases 2019 ,Pollution ,2019-20 coronavirus outbreak ,Atmospheric Science ,CO, Carbon monoxide ,NO2, Nitrogen dioxide ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Geography, Planning and Development ,SO2, Sulphur dioxide ,Air pollution ,010501 environmental sciences ,Environmental Science (miscellaneous) ,MERS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus ≤10 μm ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,WHO, World Health Organization ,AQI, Air Quality Index ,Air pollutants ,Environmental protection ,medicine ,NO2 - Nitrogen dioxide ,BC, Black carbon ,Air quality index ,SARS-CoV, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ≤2.5 μm ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,media_common ,PHEIC, Public Health Emergency of International Concern ,NO 2 ,Urban Studies ,PM2.5, PM10, Particulate matter with diameters ,Air quality ,O3, Ozone ,PM 2.5 ,Environmental science ,Covid-19 - Abstract
In present study, the variation in concentration of key air pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2 and O3 during the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown phase has been investigated. In addition, the monthly concentration of air pollutants in March, April and May of 2020 is also compared with that of 2019 to unfold the effect of restricted emissions under similar meteorological conditions. To evaluate the global impact of COVID-19 on the air quality, ground-based data from 162 monitoring stations from 12 cities across the globe are analysed for the first time. The concentration of PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 were reduced by 20–34%, 24–47% and 32–64%, respectively, due to restriction on anthropogenic emission sources during lockdown. However, a lower reduction in SO2 was observed due to functional power plants. O3 concentration was found to be increased due to the declined emission of NO. Nevertheless, the achieved improvements were temporary as the pollution level has gone up again in cities where lockdown was lifted. The study might assist the environmentalist, government and policymakers to curb down the air pollution in future by implementing the strategic lockdowns at the pollution hotspots with minimal economic loss., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image, Highlights • Positive impacts of COVID-19 on environment are demonstrated. • Air quality data of 162 monitoring stations from 12 cities across the globe are assessed. • PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 have shown a significant reduction in lockdown phase as compared to pre-lockdown phase. • A notable improvement in air quality is observed during lockdown across the globe. • Achieved improvement in air quality is temporary as pollution level increased in cities where lockdown was lifted. more...
- Published
- 2020
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