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Sikarwar A, Rani R, Duthé G, Golaz V. Association of greenness with COVID-19 deaths in India: An ecological study at district level. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114906. [PMID: 36423668 PMCID: PMC9678392 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world has witnessed a colossal death toll due to the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). A few environmental epidemiology studies have identified association of environmental factors (air pollution, greenness, temperature, etc.) with COVID-19 incidence and mortality, particularly in developed countries. India, being one of the most severely affected countries by the pandemic, still has a dearth of research exploring the linkages of environment and COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES We evaluate whether district-level greenness exposure is associated with a reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths in India. METHODS We used average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from January to March 2019, derived by Oceansat-2 satellite, to represent district-level greenness exposure. COVID-19 death counts were obtained through May 1, 2021 (around the peak of the second wave) from an open portal: covid19india.org. We used hierarchical generalized negative binomial regressions to check the associations of greenness with COVID-19 death counts. Analyses were adjusted for air pollution (PM2.5), temperature, rainfall, population density, proportion of older adults (50 years and above), sex ratio over age 50, proportions of rural population, household overcrowding, materially deprived households, health facilities, and secondary school education. RESULTS Our analyses found a significant association between greenness and reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths. Compared to the districts with the lowest NDVI (quintile 1), districts within quintiles 3, 4, and 5 have respectively, around 32% [MRR = 0.68 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.88)], 39% [MRR = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.80)], and 47% [MRR = 0.53 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.71)] reduced risk of COVID-19 deaths. The association remains consistent for analyses restricted to districts with a rather good overall death registration (>80%). CONCLUSION Though cause-of-death statistics are limited, we confirm that exposure to greenness was associated with reduced district-level COVID-19 deaths in India. However, material deprivation and air pollution modify this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Sikarwar
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France.
| | - Ritu Rani
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France; International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India
| | - Géraldine Duthé
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France
| | - Valérie Golaz
- French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), Aubervilliers-Paris, France; Aix-Marseille University, IRD, LPED, Marseille, France
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Vasudevan M, Natarajan N, Selvi SM, Ravikumar K, Rajendran AD, Bagavathi AB. Correlating the trends of COVID-19 spread and air quality during lockdowns in Tier-I and Tier-II cities of India-lessons learnt and futuristic strategies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:86126-86155. [PMID: 34545523 PMCID: PMC8452450 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16028-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The present study focuses on the impact of early imposed lockdowns and following unlocking phases on the status of air quality in six Tier-I and nine Tier-II cities of India as compared to the pre-lockdown measures. Furthermore, the study highlights the possible correlation of air quality index (AQI) with the initial trend of COVID-19 issues including the vaccination cases. Based on the statistical data analysis, we observed that the long-term averages for representing the short-term pre-lockdown conditions can impose a healing effect to the observed anomalies in air pollution data. However, the reduction in air pollution during the imposed lockdown series was only a phenomenal consequence, and the trends started reversing during the later phases of partial unlocking, where the correlation showed reversing trends. Being a yearly averaged parameter, the marginal reductions in the exceedance factor (EF) alone could not dictate air quality compared to the AQI. As there is incoherent variability in the pollutant distributions among the cities during various phases of the study, the trend analysis served as a preferable criterion to choose the preferred sources of variations. Based on the results, the correlation analysis revealed that air quality expressed in terms of AQI can act as an important precursor to estimate the critical phase of COVID-19 spread and the effectiveness of various control measures taken during each phase. Based on our proposed ranking, Kolkata and Patna are ranked first in the Tier-I and Tier-II cities respectively according to their responsiveness to the various institutionalized restrictions in terms of air quality parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mangottiri Vasudevan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638401, India
| | - Narayanan Natarajan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India.
| | - Sugashini Masillamani Selvi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Kesavan Ravikumar
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Arun Dharshini Rajendran
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
| | - Anushya Banu Bagavathi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, 642003, India
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Tyagi B, Vissa NK, Ghude SD. Evolution of Pollution Levels from COVID-19 Lockdown to Post-Lockdown over India. TOXICS 2022; 10:653. [PMID: 36355944 PMCID: PMC9693412 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10110653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the administration to lock down in many countries globally to stop the spread. As the lockdown phase had only the emergency use of transportation and most of the industries were shut down, there was an apparent reduction in pollution. With the end of the lockdown period, pollution is returning to its regular emission in most places. Though the background was abnormally low in emissions (during the lockdown phase) and the reduced pollution changed the radiation balance in the northern hemispheric summer period, a modified pollution pattern is possible during the unlock phases of 2020. The present study analysed the unlock 1 and 2 stages (June-July) of the COVID-19 lockdown over India. The rainfall, surface temperature and cloud cover anomalies of 2020 for understanding the differences in pollutants variation were also analysed. The unlock phases show remarkable differences in trends and mean variations of pollutants over the Indian region compared to climatological variations. The results indicated changing high-emission regions over India to climatological variations and identified an AOD dipole with future emissions over India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhishma Tyagi
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, India
| | - Naresh Krishna Vissa
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, India
| | - Sachin D. Ghude
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology Pune, Pune 411008, India
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4
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Silva FC, Silva DH, Zamprogna KM, Souza SS, Sell D, Sabatini-Marques J, Yigitcanlar T. Impacts of Covid-19 interventions on air quality: evidence from Brazilian metropolitan regions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : IJEST 2022; 20:2797-2818. [PMID: 35529589 PMCID: PMC9063257 DOI: 10.1007/s13762-022-04189-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively disrupted the way our economy and society functions. Nonetheless, there have also been some positive externalities of the pandemic on the environment. This paper aims to evaluate the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in Brazilian metropolitan regions after the policies adopted to confront Covid-19. In terms of methodological approach, the study employs cross-sectional quantitative analyses to compare the period of 36 days, i.e., 12 March to 16 April-before (in 2019) and after (in 2020) the pandemic declaration. The data were obtained from the Sentinel 5-P low-Earth polar satellite concerning Brazilian metropolitan regions (n = 24). Thorough spatial and statistical analyses were undertaken to identify the pre- and during pandemic nitrogen dioxide concentrations. Complementarily, Spearman's correlation test was performed with variables that impact air quality. The study results a fall in nitrogen dioxide concentration levels in 21 of the 24 metropolitan regions which was observed. The Spearman's correlation coefficient between the nitrogen dioxide variation and the vehicle density was 0.485, at a significance level of 0.05. With these findings in mind, the paper advocates that while the pandemic has a significant negative consequence on the health of population globally, a series of measures that result in a new social organization directly interfere in the reduction of air pollution that contributes to the quality of the air we breathe.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. C. Silva
- College of Administration and Economic Science, State University of Santa Catarina, Av. Madre Benvenuta, 2007, Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC 88035-901 Brazil
| | - D. H. Silva
- Department of Environmental Criminal Forensics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil
| | - K. M. Zamprogna
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil
| | - S. S. Souza
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil
| | - D. Sell
- College of Administration and Economic Science, State University of Santa Catarina, Av. Madre Benvenuta, 2007, Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC 88035-901 Brazil
| | - J. Sabatini-Marques
- Department of Engineering and Knowledge Management, School of Technology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil
| | - T. Yigitcanlar
- School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 Australia
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Abstract
Multiple drivers perturb the terrestrial carbon cycle, which ultimately reshapes the fertilization of carbon dioxide (CO2) and reorientates the climate. One such driver is atmospheric aerosols, which cascade the ecosystem’s productivity in a large proportionality. Investigating this relation is non-conventional and limited across the globe. With the abundance of heterogenetic terrestrial ecosystems, India’s primary productivity has a large proportion of the global carbon balance. Under climate change stress, India’s unique spatial and climatological features perturb atmospheric aerosols from natural sources to anthropogenic sources. In light of that, this study utilizes the Carnegie–Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model to elucidate the consequence by examining the potential effect of aerosol load on the ecosystem productivity (Net Primary Production; NPP) for various agroclimatic zones of India from 2001–2020. CASA reveals a negative decadal amplitude with an overall increase in the NPP trend. In contrast, aerosol loadings from MODIS highlight the increasing trend, with definite seasonal intensities. Employing the CASA model and earth observations, the study highlights the increase in NPP in forest-based ecosystems due to relatively lower aerosols and higher diffuse radiation. Critically, strong dampening of NPP was observed in the agroecological and sparse vegetation zones inferring that the aerosol loadings affect the primary productivity by affecting the photosynthesis of canopy architecture. Spatial sensitivity zones across different ecological regions result in a non-homogenous response because of different phenological and canopy architecture that is mediated by the radiation intensities. Based on the analysis, the study infers that AOD positively influences the canopy-scale photosynthesis by diffuse radiation, which promotes NPP but is less likely for the crop canopy ecosystems. Barring the limitations, enhancement of NPP in the forest ecosystems offset the demand for carbon sink in the agroecosystems. Findings from this study reveal that a more precise provenance of aerosol effects on carbon fluxes is required to understand the uncertainties in the terrestrial carbon cycle.
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Hereher M, Eissa R, Alqasemi A, El Kenawy AM. Assessment of air pollution at Greater Cairo in relation to the spatial variability of surface urban heat island. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:21412-21425. [PMID: 34757560 PMCID: PMC8578915 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17383-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Greater Cairo, Egypt, which lies in the apex of the Nile Delta, is one of the most populated regions in the world. Air pollution is a profound environmental issue prevailing in the urban/rural landscapes of this crowded megacity. The objectives of the present study were to utilize remotely sensed data in order to address the seasonal variations of the nocturnal surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) as extracted from the American Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite and the related seasonal distribution of selected air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) as extracted from the European TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) for the period from 2018 to 2021. It is observed that there is clear nocturnal urban heat island over Greater Cairo, particularly at the administrative districts dominated by urban land use with high density of population and at the industrial and power generation locations. The highest SUHII is observed during winter. On the other hand, the selected pollutants also represent an urban pollution island (UPI) capping the regions of high SUHII. At the seasonal level, the highest NO2 correlation with the SUHII occurs during spring (R2 = 0.59), while the CO correlates maximum during winter (R2 = 0.51). Nonetheless, the seasonal SO2 distribution is poorly related to the SUHII as this specific pollutant is significantly associated with the industrial land use. Climatic and topographic factors could intensify the distribution of air pollution in the study area. Results of this study demonstrate the significance of geospatial technology tools in the subtle analysis and addressing regional air pollution. The outputs are also of a paramount implication on the management of urban environment and the adaptation of urban air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Hereher
- Geography Department, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, Egypt.
| | - Rasha Eissa
- Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Mansoura Branch, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Abduldaem Alqasemi
- Department of Geography and Urban Sustainability, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Ahmed M El Kenawy
- Geography Department, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- Geography Department, Faculty of Education, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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COVID-19 Lockdown and the Impact on Mobility, Air Quality, and Utility Consumption: A Case Study from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This study presents an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on people’s mobility trends, air quality, and utility consumption in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Records of lockdown and subsequent easing measures, infection and vaccination rates, community mobility reports, remotely sensed and ground-based air quality data, and utility (electricity, water, and gas) consumption data were collected and analyzed in the study. The mobility trends reflected the stringency of the lockdown measures, increasing in the residential sector but decreasing in all other sectors. The data showed significant improvement in air quality corresponding to the lockdown measures in 2020 followed by gradual deterioration as the lockdown measures were eased. Electricity and water consumption increased in the residential sector during the lockdown; however, overall utility consumption did not show significant changes. The changes in mobility were correlated with the relevant air quality parameters, such as NO2, which in turn was highly correlated to O3. The study provides data and analysis to support future planning and response efforts in Sharjah. Furthermore, the methodology used in the study can be applied to assess the impacts of COVID-19 or similar events on people’s mobility, air quality and utility consumption at other geographical locations.
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Sharma G, Annadate S, Sinha B. Will open waste burning become India's largest air pollution source? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118310. [PMID: 34626708 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
India struggles with frequent exceedances of the ambient air quality standard for particulate matter and benzene. In the past two decades, India has made considerable progress in tackling indoor air pollution, by phasing out kerosene lamps, and pushing biofuel using households towards Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) usage. In this study, we use updated emission inventories and trends in residential fuel consumption, to explore changes in the contribution of different sectors towards India's largest air pollution problem. We find that residential fuel usage is still the largest air pollution source, and that the <10% households using cow dung as cooking fuel contribute ∼50% of the residential PM2.5 emissions. However, if current trends persist, residential biofuel usage in India is likely to be phased out by 2035. India's renewable energy policies are likely to reduce emissions in the heat and electricity sector, and manufacturing industries, in the mid-term. PM2.5 emissions from open waste burning, on the other hand, hardly changed in the decade from 2010 to 2020. We conclude that without strong policies to promote recycling and upcycling of non-biodegradable waste, and the conversion of biodegradable waste to biogas, open waste burning is likely to become India's largest source of air pollution by 2035. While our study is limited to India, our findings are of relevance for other countries in the global South suffering from similar waste management challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Sharma
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli PO, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Saurabh Annadate
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli PO, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Baerbel Sinha
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli PO, Punjab, 140306, India.
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Kundu B, Panda D, Vissa NK, Tyagi B. “Novel 2019 Coronavirus Outbreak” through the Eyes of GNSS Signal. JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA 2022; 98:83-87. [PMCID: PMC8760873 DOI: 10.1007/s12594-022-1933-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Besides the global crisis of the novel COVID-19 outbreak, we have presented the other side towards an environmental perspective. Due to the economic shutdown of major cities, the novel COVID-19 outbreak has significantly influenced air quality in the atmosphere and also affected the tropospheric refraction on Global Navigation Satellite System GNSS signal propagation in the horizontally stratified column. We suggest that GNSS signal propagation and variation in Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) in the tropospheric column can be used as a proxy for the pollution-monitoring tool in the future. Although we have presented a case study from mainland China, the hypothesis can be tested globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Kundu
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, Rourkela, 769 008 India
| | - Dibyashakti Panda
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, Rourkela, 769 008 India
| | - Naresh Krishna Vissa
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, Rourkela, 769 008 India
| | - Bhishma Tyagi
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, Rourkela, 769 008 India
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Singh D, Nanda C, Dahiya M. State of air pollutants and related health risk over Haryana India as viewed from satellite platform in COVID-19 lockdown scenario. SPATIAL INFORMATION RESEARCH 2022; 30:47-62. [PMCID: PMC8294319 DOI: 10.1007/s41324-021-00410-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 driven lockdown has affected air quality worldwide. Changes in air pollutants concentration, Air Quality Index (AQI), and associated Excess Health Risk (ER%) were assessed using satellite data of before (2019), and during (2020) COVID-19 periods in the industrially, agriculturally developed and highly populated area of Haryana in the northern region of Indo-Gangetic Plains. Parameters such as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Particulate matters (PM), Sulphur Di-Oxide (SO2), Nitrogen Di-Oxide (NO2), Carbon Mono-oxide (CO), and Methane (CH4) were derived using satellite data and validated using ground-based observations (n = 23). The coefficient of correlation (r) 0.91, 0.90, 0.95, 0.73, 0.81 and 0.80 were established with AOD, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2 and CO, respectively. Significant reduction (p < 0.005) in the concentration of air pollutants, viz. 38% in AOD, 55% in PM2.5, 61% in PM10, 31% in SO2, 10% in NO2, 5% in CO and 1% in CH4 were observed during lockdown. Significant (p < 0.00) improvement in air quality was observed due to a 44% reduction in pollution level, which led to the reduction in ER% by 71%, which is quite significant. AQI and ER% from satellite and ground showed a high r2 i.e. 0.88 and 0.99 respectively, suggesting the potential application of satellite data for periodic AQI and ER% assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharmendra Singh
- Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), Citizen Resource Information Department, CCS HAU Campus, Hiasr, Haryana 125004 India
| | - Chintan Nanda
- Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), Citizen Resource Information Department, CCS HAU Campus, Hiasr, Haryana 125004 India
| | - Meenakshi Dahiya
- Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), Citizen Resource Information Department, CCS HAU Campus, Hiasr, Haryana 125004 India
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Ravindra K, Singh T, Vardhan S, Shrivastava A, Singh S, Kumar P, Mor S. COVID-19 pandemic: What can we learn for better air quality and human health? J Infect Public Health 2021; 15:187-198. [PMID: 34979337 PMCID: PMC8642828 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in improved air quality in many cities across the world. With the objective of what could be the new learning from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns for better air quality and human health, a critical synthesis of the available evidence concerning air pollution reduction, the population at risk and natural versus anthropogenic emissions was conducted. Can the new societal norms adopted during pandemics, such as the use of face cover, awareness regarding respiratory hand hygiene, and physical distancing, help in reducing disease burden in the future? The use of masks will be more socially acceptable during the high air pollution episodes in lower and middle-income countries, which could help to reduce air pollution exposure. Although post-pandemic, some air pollution reduction strategies may be affected, such as car-pooling and the use of mass transit systems for commuting to avoid exposure to airborne infections like coronavirus. However, promoting non-motorized modes of transportation such as cycling and walking within cities as currently being enabled in Europe and other countries could overshadow such losses. This demand focus on increasing walkability in a town for all ages and populations, including for a differently-abled community. The study highlighted that for better health and sustainability there. is also a need to promote other measures such as work-from-home, technological infrastructure, the extension of smart cities, and the use of information technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaiwal Ravindra
- Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
| | - Tanbir Singh
- Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Shikha Vardhan
- Centre for Environmental & Occupational Health, Climate Change & Health, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054, India
| | - Aakash Shrivastava
- Centre for Environmental & Occupational Health, Climate Change & Health, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054, India
| | - Sujeet Singh
- Centre for Environmental & Occupational Health, Climate Change & Health, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Suman Mor
- Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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Prakash S, Goswami M, Khan YDI, Nautiyal S. Environmental impact of COVID-19 led lockdown: A satellite data-based assessment of air quality in Indian megacities. URBAN CLIMATE 2021; 38:100900. [PMID: 36570864 PMCID: PMC9764093 DOI: 10.1016/j.uclim.2021.100900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, including restricted human movement and economic activities, have shown positive impacts on the environment. Present research analysed the effects of COVID-19 led lockdown on air quality with special reference to major pollutants, namely nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and aerosol optical depth (AOD). The assessment has been conducted for megacities of India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata) for four months, that is, March and April in 2019 and 2020 using Sentinel 5P and MCD19A2 data. A decrease in concentrations of air pollutants, specifically NO2 and SO2, has been observed during the lockdown period in all the cities; whereas CO and AOD have exhibited discrete pattern of spatio-temporal variation. Four megacities except Kolkata have revealed a positive correlation between NO2 concentration and population density. The results conclude overall improvement in air quality during COVID-19 led lockdown. The current situation provides a unique opportunity to implement a structural economic change that could help us move towards a city with low emission economy. Realizing the achievable improvement of air quality, the study suggests further in-depth research on source attribution of individual pollutants to assess the prospect of emission reduction actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satya Prakash
- Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources (CEENR), Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Dr. VKRV Rao Road Nagarabhavi, 560072 Bengaluru, India
| | - Mrinalini Goswami
- Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources (CEENR), Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Dr. VKRV Rao Road Nagarabhavi, 560072 Bengaluru, India
| | - Y D Imran Khan
- Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources (CEENR), Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Dr. VKRV Rao Road Nagarabhavi, 560072 Bengaluru, India
| | - Sunil Nautiyal
- Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources (CEENR), Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Dr. VKRV Rao Road Nagarabhavi, 560072 Bengaluru, India
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Muencheberg, Germany
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