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Hu F, Xie P, Zhu Y, Zhang F, Xu J, Lv Y, Zhang Z, Zheng J, Zhang Q, Li Y, Tian X. The impact of evolving synoptic weather patterns on multi-scale transport and sources of persistent high-concentration ozone pollution event in the Yangtze River Delta, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175048. [PMID: 39074754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
High-concentration ozone pollution pose threats to ecosystems and human health. However, there is limited research on the impact of the alternating evolution of synoptic weather patterns (SWPs) on the multi-scale transport processes and sources of ozone. From June 14 to 18, 2018, a rare consecutive ozone pollution plagued in Hefei and broader Yangtze River Delta region (YRD). This study investigates the meteorological factors and sources using in-situ observational data and WRF-Chem model simulations. Analysis reveals a northeastern low-pressure system moving from north to south generated a cold front. This moving cold front facilitated the vertical transport of warm air masses carrying high-concentration ozone originating from North China. Subsequently, Ozone-rich air masses (ORMs) were transported over the YRD, influenced by the eastward movement of the Mongolian high-pressure system. Based on WRF-Chem model with NOx tagging mechanisms and WRF-FLEXPART backward simulations, it is confirmed that a notable atmospheric transport originated from North China region (NCR) to Hefei, especially on June 15. As the Mongolian high-pressure weakens and shifts east-southward, it carried ORMs generated by NOx emissions from the YRD, accumulating over the sea within the range of 120°E to 126°E and 25°N to 30°N. Both WRF-chem model results and TRopospheric Ozone and Precursors from Earth System Sounding (TROPESS) Chemistry Reanalysis dataset Version 2 (TCR-2) revealed the existence of ORMs in this geographic range. Subsequently, the ORMs carried out to sea by the weakened high-pressure system were reintroduced inland, influenced by southeast winds brought about by the peripheral circulation of typhoon "Gaemi". In summary, the alternating evolution of SWPs significantly influences multi-scale ozone transport from both the NCR and the YRD regions, making substantial contributions to this prolonged episode. These findings offer valuable insights for improving regional ozone pollution prevention and control mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Pinhua Xie
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.
| | - Yu Zhu
- Anhui Eco-Environmental Monitoring Centre, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Fuhai Zhang
- Anhui Eco-Environmental Monitoring Centre, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - YinSheng Lv
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - ZhiDong Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Jiangyi Zheng
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Youtao Li
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Xin Tian
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
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2
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Li Z. Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on NO 2 Pollution and the Associated Health Burden in China: A Comparison of Different Approaches. TOXICS 2024; 12:580. [PMID: 39195682 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12080580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
So far, a large number of studies have quantified the effect of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air quality in different countries worldwide. However, few studies have compared the influence of different approaches on the estimation results. The present study aimed to utilize a random forest machine learning approach as well as a difference-to-difference approach to explore the effect of lockdown policy on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration during COVID-19 outbreak period in mainland China. Datasets from 2017 to 2019 were adopted to establish the random forest models, which were then applied to predict the NO2 concentrations in 2020, representing a scenario without the lockdown effect. The results showed that random forest models achieved remarkable predictive accuracy for predicting NO2 concentrations, with index of agreement values ranging between 0.34 and 0.76. Compared with the modelled NO2 concentrations, on average, the observed NO2 concentrations decreased by approximately 16 µg/m3 in the lockdown period in 2020. The difference-to-difference approach tended to underestimate the influence of COVID-19 lockdown measures. Due to the improvement of NO2 pollution, around 3722 non-accidental premature deaths were avoided in the studied population. The presented machine learning modelling framework has a great potential to be transferred to other short-term events with abrupt pollutant emission changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Li
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
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Tian X, Wang Z, Xie P, Xu J, Li A, Pan Y, Hu F, Hu Z, Chen M, Zheng J. A CNN-SVR model for NO 2 profile prediction based on MAX-DOAS observations: The influence of Chinese New Year overlapping the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on vertical distributions of tropospheric NO 2 in Nanjing, China. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 141:151-165. [PMID: 38408816 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a hybrid model, the convolutional neural network-support vector regression model, was adopted to achieve prediction of the NO2 profile in Nanjing from January 2019 to March 2021. Given the sudden decline in NO2 in February 2020, the contribution of the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) lockdown, Chinese New Year (CNY), and meteorological conditions to the reduction of NO2 was evaluated. NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs) from January to March 2020 decreased by 59.05% and 32.81%, relative to the same period in 2019 and 2021, respectively. During the period of 2020 COVID-19, the average NO2 VCDs were 50.50% and 29.96% lower than those during the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods, respectively. The NO2 volume mixing ratios (VMRs) during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown significantly decreased below 400 m. The NO2 VMRs under the different wind fields were significantly lower during the lockdown period than during the pre-lockdown period. This phenomenon could be attributed to the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The NO2 VMRs before and after the CNY were significantly lower in 2020 than in 2019 and 2021 in the same period, which further proves that the decrease in NO2 in February 2020 was attributed to the COVID-19 lockdown. Pollution source analysis of an NO2 pollution episode during the lockdown period showed that the polluted air mass in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei was transported southwards under the action of the north wind, and the subsequent unfavorable meteorological conditions (local wind speed of < 2.0 m/sec) resulted in the accumulation of pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tian
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China; Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Zijie Wang
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Pinhua Xie
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Jin Xu
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
| | - Ang Li
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Yifeng Pan
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Feng Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zhaokun Hu
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Mingsheng Chen
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Jiangyi Zheng
- Key laboratory of Environmental Optical and Technology, Anhui Institute of optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
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Xu J, Liu Q, Wider W, Zhang S, Fauzi MA, Jiang L, Udang LN, An Z. Research landscape of energy transition and green finance: A bibliometric analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24783. [PMID: 38314294 PMCID: PMC10837555 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to examine historical and present research patterns in the area of energy transition and green finance and to forecast potential future domains. Using the bibliometric method, 328 scholarly articles from the Web of Science database were evaluated. This paper identifies influential publications, maps the research landscape, and forecasts emerging tendencies through co-citation and co-word analyses. Co-citation analysis found three main clusters, while co-word analysis revealed four main clusters. Despite the growing significance of research on energy transition and green finance research, further in-depth investigation is necessary to offer a thorough depiction of the research domain. This research represents a pioneering endeavour in the utilization of bibliometric analysis to investigate the interrelationship between two items. It offers valuable insights into the rapidly expanding field of energy transition and green finance, effectively highlighting its contours and indicating potential future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Xu
- International Education College, Hebei Finance University, Baoding, 071051, Hebei, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Experimental Teaching Center, Hebei Finance University, Baoding, 071051, Hebei, China
| | - Walton Wider
- Faculty of Business and Communications, INTI International University, Nilai, 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
| | - Shuhan Zhang
- PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Muhammad Ashraf Fauzi
- Faculty of Industrial Management, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Gambang, Malaysia
| | - Leilei Jiang
- Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
| | - Lester Naces Udang
- School of Liberal Arts, Metharath University, Pathumthani, Thailand
- Educational Psychology, College of Education, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines
| | - Zhida An
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
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5
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Zhang J, Chen C, Su Y, Guo W, Fu X, Long Y, Peng X, Zhang W, Huang X, Wang G. Characterization of summertime single aerosol particles in Chengdu (China): Interannual evolution and impact of COVID-19 lockdown. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167765. [PMID: 37832658 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167765] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the interannual evolution of air pollution in summer and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on local pollution in Chengdu, China, single aerosol particles were continuously measured in three summer periods: the regular period in 2020 (RP2020); the regular period in 2022 (RP2022); and the lockdown period in 2022 (LP2022). It was found that, from RP2020 to RP2022, the mass concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 decreased by 25.6 %, 24.7 %, 28.8 % and 38.5 %, respectively, while the concentration of O3 increased by 11.0 %. Affected by regional transport, there was no significant decrease in the concentrations of various pollutants during LP2022. All single aerosol particles could be classified into seven categories: vehicle emissions (VE), dust, biomass burning (BB), coal combustion (CC), K mixed with sulfate (KSO4), K mixed with nitrate (KNO3) and K mixed with sulfate and nitrate (KSN) particles. From RP2020 to RP2022, the contributions of BB and CC particles decreased by 12.1 % and 0.9 %, respectively, while VE and dust particles increased by 3.6 % and 2.5 %, respectively; and compared to RP2022, the contributions of VE, dust and CC particles in LP2022 decreased by 22.2 %, 11.0 % and 12.7 %, respectively. The high PM2.5 pollution events in RP2020 and RP2022 were mainly caused by combustion sources (BB and CC, 51.6 %) and VE (38.3 %) particles, respectively, while the pollution event in LP2022 was contributed by BB (27.0 %) and secondary inorganic (KSO4, KNO3 and KSN, 60.2 %) particles. The formation mechanisms of different pollution events were further validated by WRF-Chem results. Although the potential source areas of particles showed a shrinking trend from RP2020 to RP2022, regional transport still caused high PM2.5 pollution events during LP2022. Photochemical processes dominated the formation of KSO4 particles, while the KNO3 and KSN particles were mainly generated by liquid-phase reactions, and this effect increased year by year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junke Zhang
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China.
| | - Chunying Chen
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Yunfei Su
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Wenkai Guo
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Xinyi Fu
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Yuhan Long
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Xiaoxue Peng
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Sichuan Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Chengdu 610091, China
| | - Xiaojuan Huang
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Gehui Wang
- Key Lab of Geographic Information Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
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Kim E, Kim HC, Kim BU, Woo JH, Liu Y, Kim S. Development of surface observation-based two-step emissions adjustment and its application on CO, NO x, and SO 2 emissions in China and South Korea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167818. [PMID: 37858815 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
It is challenging to estimate local emission conditions of a downwind area solely based on concentrations in the downwind area. This is because air pollutants that have a long residence time in the atmosphere can be transported over long distances and influence air quality in downwind areas. In this study, a Two-step Emissions Adjustment (TEA) approach was developed to adjust downwind emissions of target air pollutants with surface observations, considering their long-range transported emission impacts from upwind areas calculated from air quality simulations. Using the TEA approach, CO, NOx, and SO2 emissions were adjusted in China and South Korea between 2016 and 2021 based on existing bottom-up emissions inventories. Simulations with the adjusted emissions showed that the 6-year average normalized mean biases of the monthly mean concentrations of CO, NOx, and SO2 improved to 0.3 %, -2 %, and 2 %, respectively, in China, and to 5 %, 7 %, and 4 %, respectively, in South Korea. When analyzing the emission trends, it was estimated that the annual emissions of CO, NOx, and SO2 in China decreased at a rate of 7.2 %, 4.5 %, and 10.6 % per year, respectively. The decrease rate of emissions for each of these pollutants was similar to that of ambient concentrations. When considering upwind emission impacts in the emissions adjustment, CO emissions increased by 1.3 %/year in South Korea, despite CO concentrations in the country decreasing during the study period. During the study period, NOx and SO2 emissions in South Korea decreased by 3.9 % and 0.5 %/year, respectively. Moreover, the TEA approach can account for drastic short-term emission changes (e.g., social distancing due to COVID-19). Therefore, the TEA approach can be used to adjust emissions and improve reproducibility of concentrations of air pollutants suitable for health studies for areas where upwind emission impacts are significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunhye Kim
- Department of Environmental & Safety Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, South Korea; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Hyun Cheol Kim
- Air Resources Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD 20740, USA; Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Byeong-Uk Kim
- Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Atlanta, GA 30354, USA
| | - Jung-Hun Woo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea
| | - Yang Liu
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Soontae Kim
- Department of Environmental & Safety Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, South Korea; Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Wang L, Zhao W, Luo P, He Q, Zhang W, Dong C, Zhang Y. Environmentally persistent free radicals in PM 2.5 from a typical Chinese industrial city during COVID-19 lockdown: The unexpected contamination level variation. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 135:424-432. [PMID: 37778816 PMCID: PMC9418963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused concerns globally. To reduce the rapid transmission of the virus, strict city lockdown measures were conducted in different regions. China is the country that takes the earliest home-based quarantine for people. Although normal industrial and social activities were suspended, the spread of virus was efficiently controlled. Simultaneously, another merit of the city lockdown measure was noticed, which is the improvement of the air quality. Contamination levels of multiple atmospheric pollutants were decreased. However, in this work, 24 and 14 air fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples were continuously collected before and during COVID-19 city lockdown in Linfen (a typical heavy industrial city in China), and intriguingly, the unreduced concentration was found for environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in PM2.5 after normal life suspension. The primary non-stopped coal combustion source and secondary Cu-related atmospheric reaction may have impacts on this phenomenon. The cigarette-based assessment model also indicated possible exposure risks of PM2.5-bound EPFRs during lockdown of Linfen. This study revealed not all the contaminants in the atmosphere had an apparent concentration decrease during city lockdown, suggesting the pollutants with complicated sources and formation mechanisms, like EPFRs in PM2.5, still should not be ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyun Wang
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Center of Advanced Analysis and Gene Sequencing, Key Laboratory of Molecular Sensing and Harmful Substances Detection Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wuduo Zhao
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Center of Advanced Analysis and Gene Sequencing, Key Laboratory of Molecular Sensing and Harmful Substances Detection Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Peiru Luo
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Center of Advanced Analysis and Gene Sequencing, Key Laboratory of Molecular Sensing and Harmful Substances Detection Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Qingyun He
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Center of Advanced Analysis and Gene Sequencing, Key Laboratory of Molecular Sensing and Harmful Substances Detection Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenfen Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Center of Advanced Analysis and Gene Sequencing, Key Laboratory of Molecular Sensing and Harmful Substances Detection Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Chuan Dong
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Yanhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China.
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Hu F, Xie P, Tian X, Xu J, Li A, Lupaşcu A, Butler T, Hu Z, Lv Y, Zhang Z, Zheng J. Integrated analysis of the transport process and source attribution of an extreme ozone pollution event in Hefei at different vertical heights: A case of study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167237. [PMID: 37739071 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region frequently experiences ozone pollution events during the summer and autumn seasons. High-concentration events are typically related to synoptic weather patterns, which impact the transport and photochemical production of ozone at multiple scales, ranging from the local to regional scale. To better understand the regional ozone pollution problem, studies on ozone source attribution are needed, especially regarding the contributions of sources at different vertical heights based on tagging the region or time periods. Between September 3 and 8, 2020, an episode of ozone concentration anomaly high was observed in Hefei through ground-based stations and ozone Lidar. The mechanism behind this event was uncovered through synoptic weather pattern analysis and using the Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry model (WRF-Chem). Because an approaching typhoon caused variable wind direction, the O3-rich air masses (ORMs) arising from the YRD region were transported to Hefei via the nocturnal residual layer and descended to the ground through horizontal advection and vertical mixing processes the next day. Based on geographic source tagging, the anthropogenic NOx emissions (ANEs) from local and regional sources were the main contributors to the heavy ozone pollution over Hefei on September 6. Furthermore, the intra-regional transported ozone from southern Jiangsu (SJS), southern Anhui (SAH), and Zhejiang (ZJ) in the YRD was the main driving factor of the surface and upper atmosphere ozone pollution. Based on time period tagging, The ozone generated due to ANEs from September 3 to 5 significantly contributed to this episode. It is important to pay attention to the impact of ANEs on September 5 on the surface peak ozone concentration the following day (i.e., September 6). Our findings provide significant insights into the regional ozone transport mechanism in the YRD and optimization of measures to prevent and control heavy ozone pollution on spatiotemporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Pinhua Xie
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.
| | - Xin Tian
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.
| | - Jin Xu
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Ang Li
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Aurelia Lupaşcu
- Research Institute for Sustainability - Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS Potsdam), Potsdam 14467, Germany; now at European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tim Butler
- Research Institute for Sustainability - Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS Potsdam), Potsdam 14467, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Meteorologie, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zhaokun Hu
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - YinSheng Lv
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - ZhiDong Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Jiangyi Zheng
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
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Zhao H, Wang Y, Zhang Z. Increased ground-level O 3 during the COVID-19 pandemic in China aggravates human health risks but has little effect on winter wheat yield. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 338:122713. [PMID: 37813142 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122713] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
In January 2020, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak emerged in China, prompting the enforcement of stringent lockdown measures nationwide to contain its spread. Multiple studies have demonstrated that these measures successfully reduced the levels of air pollutants except for ozone (O3). However, the potential risks of nationwide O3 changes during this period remain uncertain. To address this gap, we evaluated the ecological and health effects of O3 using hourly O3 data from 1 January to 17 June in both 2020 and 2019. Our results indicated that all health and ecological indicators, except SUM06 (sum of all hourly O3 over 60 ppb), during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 increased most obviously in Stages 2 and 3 with the strictest control measures, compared to the same period in 2019. The national premature deaths due to short-term O3 exposure during Stages 2-3 in 2020 totaled 146,558 (95% CI: 79,386-213,730) for all non-accidental causes and 82,408 (95% CI: 30,522-134,295) for cardiovascular diseases, increasing by 18.78% and 18.76% in 2019, respectively. The most significant increase in health risks occurred in Hubei, followed by Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Shaanxi. In addition, the estimated national winter wheat production losses (WWPL) attributable to O3 amounted to 50.6 and 51.1 million metric tons for 2019 and 2020, respectively. Among the major winter wheat-producing provinces, Anhui and Jiangsu experienced a larger increase in WWPL, while Shandong and Hebei suffered a greater decrease in 2020 compared to 2019, resulting in little overall change in WWPL between the two years. These findings provided direct evidence of the harmful effects of O3 during the COVID-19 pandemic and serve as a valuable reference for future air pollution control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou, 213001, China; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China.
| | - Yiyi Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Shaanxi Meteorological Service Center of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Economic Crops, Xi'an, 710014, China
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10
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Jiang Z, Gao Y, Cao H, Diao W, Yao X, Yuan C, Fan Y, Chen Y. Characteristics of ambient air quality and its air quality index (AQI) model in Shanghai, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165284. [PMID: 37406688 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Long-term observations indicate that, the ambient air quality in Shanghai continues to improve, however the synergistic effects between the air pollutants PM2.5, O3 and NO2 are also increasing. The concentration of chemical components included in PM2.5 is higher in moderately polluted air containing multiple pollutants. This suggests that air pollution metrics based on multi-pollutant synergy are more descriptive of ambient air quality than single-pollutant air quality index (AQI) models that may ignore the effect of synergy between pollutants on ambient air quality forecasts. Therefore, this study proposes a new multi-pollutant air quality index model (NMAQI) based on four air pollutants (PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and O3) that emphasizes the relationship between PM2.5, NO2 and O3 in ambient air. The model successfully categorized observational data into classes of good, moderate, and polluted air quality ratings. Verification of the NMAQI model using the PM2.5 chemical composition spectrum shows that the NMAQI model can more accurately classify samples with high concentrations of chemical components (often misclassified by AQI) into high pollution levels. The model has an improved capacity to assess the degree of pollution in urban ambient air and to reduce the risk of public exposure to highly polluted atmospheric environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexi Jiang
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yunchuan Gao
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
| | - Huaxing Cao
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Weixia Diao
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Yao
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Cancan Yuan
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueying Fan
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ya Chen
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
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11
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Wan F, Hao Y, Huang W, Wang X, Tian M, Chen J. Hindered visibility improvement despite marked reduction in anthropogenic emissions in a megacity of southwestern China: An interplay between enhanced secondary inorganics formation and hygroscopic growth at prevailing high RH conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165114. [PMID: 37379922 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The PM2.5-bound visibility improvement remains challenging in China despite vigorous control on anthropogenic emissions in recent years. One critical issue could exist in the distinct physicochemical properties especially of secondary aerosol components. Taken the COVID-19 lockdown as an extreme case, we focus on the relationship between visibility, emission cuts, and secondary formation of inorganics with changing optical and hygroscopic behaviors in Chongqing, a representative city characterized with humid weather and poor diffusion conditions in Sichuan Basin, southwest of China. It is found that the increased secondary aerosol abundance (e.g., PM2.5/CO and PM2.5/PM10 as a proxy) with enhanced atmospheric oxidative capacity (e.g., O3/Ox, Ox = O3 + NO2), combined with insignificant meteorological dilution effect, might partly offset the benefit on the improved visibility from substantial reduction in anthropogenic emissions during the COVID-19 lockdown. This is in line with the efficient oxidation rates of sulfur and nitrogen (i.e., SOR, NOR), increasing more significantly with PM2.5 and relative humidity (RH) in comparison to O3/Ox. The resulted larger fraction of nitrate and sulfate (i.e., fSNA) would promote the optical enhancement (i.e., f(RH)) and mass extinction efficiency (MEE) of PM2.5, especially under highly humid conditions (e.g., RH > 80 %, with approximately half of the occurrence frequency). This could further facilitate secondary aerosol formation via aqueous-phase reaction and heterogeneous oxidation, likely due to enhanced water uptake and enlarged size/surface area upon hydration. In combination of gradually increased atmospheric oxidative capacity, this positive feedback would in turn inhibit the visibility improvement particularly at high RH environment. Considering the current air pollution complex status over China, further work on the formation mechanisms of major secondary species (e.g., sulfate, nitrate, and secondary organics), size-resolved chemical and hygroscopic properties, together with their interactions are highly recommended. Our results are hoping to assist in the atmospheric pollution complex mitigation and prevention in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglian Wan
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuhang Hao
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Huang
- National Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mi Tian
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
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12
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Li X, Abdullah LC, Sobri S, Syazarudin Md Said M, Aslina Hussain S, Poh Aun T, Hu J. Long-term spatiotemporal evolution and coordinated control of air pollutants in a typical mega-mountain city of Cheng-Yu region under the "dual carbon" goal. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2023; 73:649-678. [PMID: 37449903 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2232744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and impact mechanism of pollution is the prerequisite for megacities to formulate relevant air pollution prevention and control measures and achieve carbon neutrality goals. Chongqing is one of the dual-core key megacities in Cheng-Yu region and as a typical mountain-city in China, environmental problems are complex and sensitive. This research aims to investigate the exceeding standard levels and spatio-temporal evolution of criteria pollutants between 2014 and 2020. The results indicated that PM10, PM2.5, CO and SO2 were decreased significantly by 45.91%, 52.86%, 38.89% and 66.67%, respectively. Conversely, the concentration of pollutant O3 present a fluctuating growth and found a "seesaw" phenomenon between it and PM. Furthermore, PM and O3 are highest in winter and summer, respectively. SO2, NO2, CO, and PM showed a "U-shaped", and O3 showed an inverted "U-shaped" seasonal variation. PM and O3 concentrations are still far behind the WHO, 2021AQGs standards. Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed in air pollution distribution. These results are of great significance for Chongqing to achieve "double control and double reduction" of PM2.5 and O3 pollution, and formulate a regional carbon peaking roadmap under climate coordination. Besides, it can provide an important platform for exploring air pollution in typical terrain around the world and provide references for related epidemiological research.Implications: Chongqing is one of the dual-core key megacities in Cheng-Yu region and as a typical mountain city, environmental problems are complex and sensitive. Under the background of the "14th Five-Year Plan", the construction of the "Cheng-Yu Dual-City Economic Circle" and the "Dual-Carbon" goal, this article comprehensively discussed the annual and seasonal excess levels and spatiotemporal evolution of pollutants under the multiple policy and the newest international standards (WHO,2021AQG) backgrounds from 2014 to 2020 in Chongqing. Furthermore, suggestions and measures related to the collaborative management of pollutants were discussed. Finally, limitations and recommendations were also put forward.Clarifying the spatiotemporal distribution and impact mechanism of pollution is the prerequisite for cities to formulate relevant air pollution control measures and achieve carbon neutrality goals. This study is of great significance for Chongqing to achieve "double control and double reduction" of PM2.5 and O3 pollution, study and formulate a regional carbon peaking roadmap under climate coordination and an action plan for sustained improvement of air quality.In addition, this research can advanced our understanding of air pollution in complex terrain. Furthermore, it also promote the construction of the China national strategic Cheng-Yu economic circle and build a beautiful west. Moreover, it provides scientific insights for local policymakers to guide smart urban planning, industrial layout, energy structure, and transportation planning to improve air quality throughout the Cheng-Yu region. Finally, this is also conducive to future scientific research in other regions of China, and even megacities with complex terrain in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoju Li
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Department of Resource and Environment, Xichang University, Xichang City, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Luqman Chuah Abdullah
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Shafreeza Sobri
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Syazarudin Md Said
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Siti Aslina Hussain
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Tan Poh Aun
- SOx NOx Asia Sdn Bhd, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jinzhao Hu
- Department of Resource and Environment, Xichang University, Xichang City, Sichuan Province, China
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13
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Cardito A, Carotenuto M, Amoruso A, Libralato G, Lofrano G. Air quality trends and implications pre and post Covid-19 restrictions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:162833. [PMID: 36933733 PMCID: PMC10020133 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths every year. Thus, air quality assessment is essential to preserve human health and support authorities to identify proper policies. In this study, concentration levels of 6 air contaminants (benzene, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground level ozone, particulate matters) as monitored in 2019, 2020 and 2021 by 37 stations, located in Campania (Italy) were analysed. Particular attention has been paid to March-April 2020 period to get clues on the possible effects of the lockdown regulations, imposed in Italy from March 9th to May 4th to limit COVID-19 spread, on atmospheric pollution. Air Quality Index (AQI), an algorithm developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), allowed us to classify the air quality from moderately unhealthy to good for sensitive groups. The evaluation of air pollution impact on human health by using the AirQ+ software evidenced a significant decrement of adult mortality in 2020 respect to 2019 and 2021. Among the six pollutants considered, PM10 and PM2.5 resulted the less affected by the lockdown restrictions. Finally, a comparison between NO2 ground level concentration and the reprocessed Level 2 NO2 tropospheric column concentration obtained from satellite surveys highlighted as concentration measured at the ground level stations can be strongly influenced by the station position and its surroundings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cardito
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "Adolfo Zambelli", University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Maurizio Carotenuto
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "Adolfo Zambelli", University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy.
| | - Antonella Amoruso
- Department of Physics "E. R. Caianiello", University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Giovanni Libralato
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", via Vicinale Cupa Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Na, Italy
| | - Giusy Lofrano
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Piazza Lauro De Bosis 15, 00135 Rome, Italy
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Dai S, Chen X, Liang J, Li X, Li S, Chen G, Chen Z, Bin J, Tang Y, Li X. Response of PM2.5 pollution to meteorological and anthropogenic emissions changes during COVID-19 lockdown in Hunan Province based on WRF-Chem model. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121886. [PMID: 37236582 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In December 2019, the New Crown Pneumonia (the COVID-19) outbroke around the globe, and China imposed a nationwide lockdown starting as early as January 23, 2020. This decision has significantly impacted China's air quality, especially the sharp decrease in PM2.5 (aerodynamic equivalent diameter of particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 μm) pollution. Hunan Province is located in the central and eastern part of China, with a "horseshoe basin" topography. The reduction rate of PM2.5 concentrations in Hunan province during the COVID-19 (24.8%) was significantly higher than the national average (20.3%). Through the analysis of the changing character and pollution sources of haze pollution events in Hunan Province, more scientific countermeasures can be provided for the government. We use the Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF-Chem, V4.0) model to predict and simulate the PM2.5 concentrations under seven scenarios before the lockdown (2020.1.1-2020.1.22) and during the lockdown (2020.1.23-2020.2.14). Then, the PM2.5 concentrations under different conditions is compared to differentiate the contribution of meteorological conditions and local human activities to PM2.5 pollution. The results indicate the most important cause of PM2.5 pollution reduction is anthropogenic emissions from the residential sector, followed by the industrial sector, while the influence of meteorological factors contribute only 0.5% to PM2.5. The explanation is that emission reductions from the residential sector contribute the most to the reduction of seven primary contaminants. Finally, we trace the source and transport path of the air mass in Hunan Province through the Concentration Weight Trajectory Analysis (CWT). We found that the external input of PM2.5 in Hunan Province is mainly from the air mass transported from the northeast, accounting for 28.6%-30.0%. To improve future air quality, there is an urgent need to burn clean energy, improve the industrial structure, rationalize energy use, and strengthen cross-regional air pollution synergy control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Dai
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xuwu Chen
- School of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan University of Technology and Business, Changsha, 410205, PR China
| | - Jie Liang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xin Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Shuai Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Gaojie Chen
- College of Mathematics and Econometrics, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Zuo Chen
- College of Information Science and Technology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Juan Bin
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Yifan Tang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China.
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15
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Jia L, Sun J, Fu Y. Spatiotemporal variation and influencing factors of air pollution in Anhui Province. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15691. [PMID: 37205997 PMCID: PMC10189381 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Anhui Province locates in the Yangtze River Delta region. The spatial difference between the north and the south is significant, and the air quality is improved over time. Studying the spatial and temporal changes of air pollution and its influencing factors for the coordinated control of air pollutants in the Yangtze River Delta region is significant. This study used the annual and monthly average data of six pollutants, PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO, in Anhui Province and various cities from 2015 to 2021 and analyzed the spatiotemporal change characteristics using Excel and GIS software. Meanwhile, this paper used the SPSS correlation analysis method to analyze the correlation between pollutants and meteorological factors and analyzed the impact of economic development and environmental protection policies. The results are shown below. (1) The concentrations of SO2, NO2, and CO showed an overall downward trend at an interannual level. Meanwhile, the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 first increased slowly before 2017 and then declined, while the concentrations of O3 increased significantly before 2018 and then declined slowly. On a monthly scale, O3 presented an M-shaped change, while the other five pollutants basically presented a U-shaped change mode. The top monthly pollutants in each city followed the order of PM2.5, O3, PM10, and NO2. (2) PM2.5 and PM10 showed apparent characteristics of high concentrations in the north and low concentrations in the south in space. There were no significant differences in NO2, SO2, and CO pollution between the north and the south in space, and the differences in spatial pollution among cities were reduced significantly. (3) Five pollutants (SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and CO) except O3 were positively correlated, and the degree of correlation was correlated, strongly correlated, and above. However, five pollutants were negatively correlated with O3. The temperature had the most significant impact of negative correlation on five pollutants except for O3. The sunshine duration had the most significant impact on O3. (4) Economic growth and environmental protection policies in Anhui Province have positively affected environmental governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Jia
- School of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Chizhou University, Chizhou 247000 China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Jianping Sun
- School of Geography and Planning, Chizhou University, Chizhou 247000 China
| | - Yanfang Fu
- School of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Chizhou University, Chizhou 247000 China
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Jia H, Zang S, Zhang L, Yakovleva E, Sun H, Sun L. Spatiotemporal characteristics and socioeconomic factors of PM 2.5 heterogeneity in mainland China during the COVID-19 epidemic. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 331:138785. [PMID: 37121285 PMCID: PMC10141970 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal variation of PM2.5 in 2018 and 2020 were compared to analyze the impacts of COVID-19, the spatial heterogeneity of PM2.5, and meteorological and socioeconomic impacts of PM2.5 concentrations heterogeneity in China in 2020 were investigated. The results showed that the annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2020 was 32.73 μg/m3 existing a U-shaped variation pattern, which has decreased by 6.38 μg/m3 compared to 2018. A consistent temporal pattern was found in 2018 and 2020 with significant high values in winter and low in summer. PM2.5 declined dramatically in eastern and central China, where are densely populated and economically developed areas during the COVID-19 epidemic compared with previous years, indicating that the significantly decline of social activities had an important effect on the reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. The lowest PM2.5 was found in August because that precipitation had a certain dilution effect on pollutants. January was the most polluted due to centralized coal burning for heating in North China. Overall, the PM2.5 concentrations in China were spatially agglomerated. The highly polluted contiguous zones were mainly located in northwest China and the central plains city group, while the coastal area and Inner Mongolia were areas with good air quality. Negative correlations were found between natural factors (temperature, precipitation, wind speed and relative humidity) and PM2.5 concentrations, with precipitation has the greatest impact on PM2.5, which are beneficial for reducing PM2.5 concentrations. Among the socio-economic factors, proportion of the secondary industry, number of taxis, per capita GDP, population, and industrial nitrogen oxide emissions have positive correlation effects on PM2.5, while the overall social electricity consumption, industrial sulfur dioxide emissions, green coverage in built-up areas, and total gas and liquefied gas supply have negative correlation effects on the PM2.5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Jia
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China
| | - Shuying Zang
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China; Heilongjiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Cold Region Ecological Safety, Harbin, 150025, China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China; Heilongjiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Cold Region Ecological Safety, Harbin, 150025, China
| | - Evgenia Yakovleva
- Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Kommunisticheskaya St., Syktyvkar, Komi Republic, 167982, Russian Federation
| | - Huajie Sun
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China.
| | - Li Sun
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, 150025, China; Heilongjiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Cold Region Ecological Safety, Harbin, 150025, China.
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17
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Zhang Y, Wu W, Li Y, Li Y. An investigation of PM2.5 concentration changes in Mid-Eastern China before and after COVID-19 outbreak. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 175:107941. [PMID: 37146469 PMCID: PMC10119641 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
With the Chinese government revising ambient air quality standards and strengthening the monitoring and management of pollutants such as PM2.5, the concentrations of air pollutants in China have gradually decreased in recent years. Meanwhile, the strong control measures taken by the Chinese government in the face of COVID-19 in 2020 have an extremely profound impact on the reduction of pollutants in China. Therefore, investigations of pollutant concentration changes in China before and after COVID-19 outbreak are very necessary and concerning, but the number of monitoring stations is very limited, making it difficult to conduct a high spatial density investigation. In this study, we construct a modern deep learning model based on multi-source data, which includes remotely sensed AOD data products, other reanalysis element data, and ground monitoring station data. Combining satellite remote sensing techniques, we finally realize a high spital density PM2.5 concentration change investigation method, and analyze the seasonal and annual, the spatial and temporal characteristics of PM2.5 concentrations in Mid-Eastern China from 2016 to 2021 and the impact of epidemic closure and control measures on regional and provincial PM2.5 concentrations. We find that PM2.5 concentrations in Mid-Eastern China during these years is mainly characterized by "north-south superiority and central inferiority", seasonal differences are evident, with the highest in winter, the second highest in autumn and the lowest in summer, and a gradual decrease in overall concentration during the year. According to our experimental results, the annual average PM2.5 concentration decreases by 3.07 % in 2020, and decreases by 24.53 % during the shutdown period, which is probably caused by China's epidemic control measures. At the same time, some provinces with a large share of secondary industry see PM2.5 concentrations drop by more than 30 %. By 2021, PM2.5 concentrations rebound slightly, rising by 10 % in most provinces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Zhang
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Wenpin Wu
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Yiliang Li
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Yansheng Li
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
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Yen YC, Ku CH, Hsiao TC, Chi KH, Peng CY, Chen YC. Impacts of COVID-19's restriction measures on personal exposure to VOCs and aldehydes in Taipei City. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163275. [PMID: 37028680 PMCID: PMC10074730 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provided an unprecedented natural experiment, that allowed us to investigate the impacts of different restrictive measures on personal exposure to specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and aldehydes and resulting health risks in the city. Ambient concentrations of the criteria air pollutants were also evaluated. Passive sampling for VOCs and aldehydes was conducted for graduate students and ambient air in Taipei, Taiwan, during the Level 3 warning (strict control measures) and Level 2 alert (loosened control measures) of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021-2022. Information on the daily activities of participants and on-road vehicle counts nearby the stationary sampling site during the sampling campaigns were recorded. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) with adjusted meteorological and seasonal variables were used to estimate the effects of control measures on average personal exposures to the selected air pollutants. Our results showed that ambient CO and NO2 concentrations in relation to on-road transportation emissions were significantly reduced, which led to an increase in ambient O3 concentrations. Exposure to specific VOCs (benzene, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), xylene, ethylbenzene, and 1,3-butadiene) associated with automobile emissions were remarkably decreased by ~40-80 % during the Level 3 warning, resulting in 42 % and 50 % reductions of total incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and hazard index (HI), respectively, compared with the Level 2 alert. In contrast, the exposure concentration and calculated health risks in the selected population for formaldehyde increased by ~25 % on average during the Level 3 warning. Our study improves knowledge of the influence of a series of anti-COVID-19 measures on personal exposure to specific VOCs and aldehydes and its mitigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chuan Yen
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hung Ku
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Chih Hsiao
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Kai Hsien Chi
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Yu Peng
- Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Chen
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Occupational Safety and Health, China Medical University, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National United University, No. 2, Lienda, Miaoli 360302, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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19
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Wei P, Xie S, Huang L, Liu L, Cui L, Tang Y, Zhang Y, Meng C, Zhang L. Spatial interpolation of regional PM 2.5 concentrations in China during COVID-19 incorporating multivariate data. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH 2023; 14:101688. [PMID: 36820231 PMCID: PMC9927644 DOI: 10.1016/j.apr.2023.101688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
During specific periods when the PM2.5 variation pattern is unusual, such as during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, epidemic PM2.5 regional interpolation models have been relatively little investigated, and little consideration has been given to the residuals of optimized models and changes in model interpolation accuracy for the PM2.5 concentration under the influence of epidemic phenomena. Therefore, this paper mainly introduces four interpolation methods (kriging, empirical Bayesian kriging, tensor spline function and complete regular spline function), constructs geographically weighted regression (GWR) models of the PM2.5 concentration in Chinese regions for the periods from January-June 2019 and January-June 2020 by considering multiple factors, and optimizes the GWR regression residuals using these four interpolation methods, thus achieving the purpose of enhancing the model accuracy. The PM2.5 concentrations in many regions of China showed a downward trend during the same period before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Atmospheric pollutants, meteorological factors, elevation, zenith wet delay (ZWD), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and population maintained a certain relationship with the PM2.5 concentration in terms of linear spatial relationships, which could explain why the PM2.5 concentration changed to a certain extent. By evaluating the model accuracy from two perspectives, i.e., the overall interpolation effect and the validation set interpolation effect, the results showed that all four interpolation methods could improve the numerical accuracy of GWR to different degrees, among which the tensor spline function and the fully regular spline function achieved the most stable effect on the correction of GWR residuals, followed by kriging and empirical Bayesian kriging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhi Wei
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, School of Computer Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
- GNSS Research Center, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Shaofeng Xie
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Spatial Information and Geomatics, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Liangke Huang
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Spatial Information and Geomatics, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Lilong Liu
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Spatial Information and Geomatics, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Lilu Cui
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Youbing Tang
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Yabo Zhang
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Chunyang Meng
- College of Geomatics and Geoinformation, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541006, China
| | - Linxin Zhang
- Chengdu Huachuan Highway Construction Group Co.,Ltd, Chengdu, 610091, China
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20
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Xu T, Zhang C, Liu C, Hu Q. Variability of PM 2.5 and O 3 concentrations and their driving forces over Chinese megacities during 2018-2020. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 124:1-10. [PMID: 36182119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recently, air pollution especially fine particulate matters (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) has become a severe issue in China. In this study, we first characterized the temporal trends of PM2.5 and O3 for Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Wuhan respectively during 2018-2020. The annual mean PM2.5 has decreased by 7.82%-33.92%, while O3 concentration showed insignificant variations by -6.77%-4.65% during 2018-2020. The generalized additive models (GAMs) were implemented to quantify the contribution of individual meteorological factors and their gas precursors on PM2.5 and O3. On a short-term perspective, GAMs modeling shows that the daily variability of PM2.5 concentration is largely related to the variation of precursor gases (R = 0.67-0.90), while meteorological conditions mainly affect the daily variability of O3 concentration (R = 0.65-0.80) during 2018-2020. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on PM2.5 and O3 concentrations were also quantified by using GAMs. During the 2020 lockdown, PM2.5 decreased significantly for these megacities, yet the ozone concentration showed an increasing trend compared to 2019. The GAMs analysis indicated that the contribution of precursor gases to PM2.5 and O3 changes is 3-8 times higher than that of meteorological factors. In general, GAMs modeling on air quality is helpful to the understanding and control of PM2.5 and O3 pollution in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
| | - Chengxin Zhang
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| | - Cheng Liu
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| | - Qihou Hu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
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21
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Hasnain A, Sheng Y, Hashmi MZ, Bhatti UA, Ahmed Z, Zha Y. Assessing the ambient air quality patterns associated to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Yangtze River Delta: A random forest approach. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 314:137638. [PMID: 36565760 PMCID: PMC9770002 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), first identified at the end of December 2019, has significant impacts on all aspects of human society. In this study, we aimed to assess the ambient air quality patterns associated to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region using a random forest (RF) model. To estimate the accuracy of the model, the cross-validation (CV), determination coefficient R2, root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were used. The results demonstrate that the RF model achieved the best performance in the prediction of PM10 (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 8.81 μg/m3), PM2.5 (R2 = 0.76, RMSE = 6.16 μg/m3), SO2 (R2 = 0.76, RMSE = 0.70 μg/m3), NO2 (R2 = 0.75, RMSE = 4.25 μg/m3), CO (R2 = 0.81, RMSE = 0.4 μg/m3) and O3 (R2 = 0.79, RMSE = 6.24 μg/m3) concentrations in the YRD region. Compared with the prior two years (2018-19), significant reductions were recorded in air pollutants, such as SO2 (-36.37%), followed by PM10 (-33.95%), PM2.5 (-32.86%), NO2 (-32.65%) and CO (-20.48%), while an increase in O3 was observed (6.70%) during the COVID-19 period (first phase). Moreover, the YRD experienced rising trends in the concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and CO, while SO2 and O3 levels decreased in 2021-22 (second phase). These findings provide credible outcomes and encourage the efforts to mitigate air pollution problems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Hasnain
- Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information, Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yehua Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information, Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | | | - Uzair Aslam Bhatti
- School of Information and Communication Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zulkifl Ahmed
- Department of Civil Technology, Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology, DG Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Yong Zha
- Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information, Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China
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22
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Singh B, Pandey P, Wabaidur SM, Avtar R, Kumar P, Rahman S. Substantial changes in Gaseous pollutants and health effects during COVID-19 in Delhi, India. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14489. [PMID: 36643637 PMCID: PMC9835704 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease has affected the entire population worldwide in terms of physical and environmental consequences. Therefore, the current study demonstrates the changes in the concentration of gaseous pollutants and their health effects during the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi, the national capital city of India. Methodology In the present study, secondary data on gaseous pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and ozone (O3) were collected from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on a daily basis. Data were collected from January 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020, to determine the relative changes (%) in gaseous pollutants for pre-lockdown, lockdown, and unlockdown stages of COVID-19. Results The current findings for gaseous pollutants reveal that concentration declined in the range of 51%-83% (NO), 40%-69% (NOx), 31%-60% (NO2), and 25%-40% (NH3) during the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown period, respectively. The drastic decrease in gaseous pollutants was observed due to restricted measures during lockdown periods. The level of ozone was observed to be higher during the lockdown periods as compared to the pre-lockdown period. These gaseous pollutants are linked between the health risk assessment and hazard identification for non-carcinogenic. However, in infants (0-1 yr), Health Quotient (HQ) for daily and annual groups was found to be higher than the rest of the exposed group (toddlers, children, and adults) in all the periods. Conclusion The air quality values for pre-lockdown were calculated to be "poor category to "very poor" category in all zones of Delhi, whereas, during the lockdown period, the air quality levels for all zones were calculated as "satisfactory," except for Northeast Delhi, which displayed the "moderate" category. The computed HQ for daily chronic exposure for each pollutant across the child and adult groups was more than 1 (HQ > 1), which indicated a high probability to induce adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhupendra Singh
- Delhi School of Climate Change and Sustainability (Institute of Eminence), University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India,Deshbandhu College, Department of Environmental Science, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Puneeta Pandey
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology, Central University of Punjab Bathinda, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ram Avtar
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Pramod Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Sri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shakilur Rahman
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
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23
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Xiong C, Zhang Y, Yan J, Yang X, Wang Q, Tu R, He Y. Chemical composition characteristics and source analysis of PM 2.5 in Jiaxing, China: insights into the effect of COVID-19 outbreak. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2023; 44:552-561. [PMID: 34498542 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.1979104] [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: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Jiaxing is a medium-sized city in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), which showed complex local and surrounding pollution sources. To study the COVID-19 impact on the ambient PM2.5 in Jiaxing, we collected the PM2.5 samples from 2 January to 25 April 2020 and analysed their chemical compositions (including carbon components, water-soluble ions (WSIs), and inorganic elements). The concentration of PM2.5 was 83.13 ± 30.93 μg/m3 before COVID-19 pandemic and then remarkably decreased with COVID-19 outbreak due to the suspension of mobility and industrial activities. Meanwhile, the concentrations of main chemical species (carbon components, water-soluble ions and inorganic elements) of PM2.5 all decreased from period A (2-20 January 2020) to period B (23 January to 10 February 2020). Moreover, Trajectory clustering analysis showed that close-range transport was one of the dominant factors throughout all the periods, except for period D (1-25 April 2020). In addition, the PSCF model indicated that the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in a significant decrease of WPSCF value. This study highlighted the differences in chemical compositions and sources of PM2.5 since COVID-19 pandemic was reported and provided a better understanding of its outbreak on PM2.5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfang Xiong
- Jiaxing Ecology and Environment Bureau, Jiaxing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinglong Zhang
- Jiaxing Eco-Environmental Monitoring Center of Zhejiang Province, Jiaxing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Yan
- Jiaxing Ecology and Environment Bureau, Jiaxing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxia Yang
- Jiaxing Ecology and Environment Bureau, Jiaxing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiongzhen Wang
- Eco-environmental Science Research and Design Institute of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Tu
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi He
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
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24
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Long T, Ye Z, Tang Y, Shi J, Wen J, Chen C, Huo Q. Comparison of bacterial community structure in PM 2.5 during hazy and non-hazy periods in Guilin, South China. AEROBIOLOGIA 2023; 39:87-103. [PMID: 36568442 PMCID: PMC9762634 DOI: 10.1007/s10453-022-09777-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In recent years, significant efforts have been made to study changes in the levels of air pollutants at regional and urban scales, and changes in bioaerosols during air pollution events have attracted increasing attention. In this study, the bacterial structure of PM2.5 was analysed under different environmental conditions during hazy and non-hazy periods in Guilin. A total of 32 PM2.5 samples were collected in December 2020 and July 2021, and the microbial community structures were analysed using high-throughput sequencing methods. The results show that air pollution and climate change alter the species distribution and community diversity of bacteria in PM2.5, particularly Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas. The structure of the bacterial community composition is related to diurnal variation, vertical height, and urban area and their interactions with various environmental factors. This is a comprehensive study that characterises the variability of bacteria associated with PM2.5 in a variety of environments, highlighting the impacts of environmental effects on the atmospheric microbial community. The results will contribute to our understanding of haze trends in China, particularly the relationship between bioaerosol communities and the urban environment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10453-022-09777-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfa Long
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
| | - Ziwei Ye
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
| | - Yanchun Tang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
| | - Jiaxin Shi
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
| | - Jianhui Wen
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
- Guilin Ecological Environmental Monitoring Center, Guilin, 541004 China
| | - Chunqiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
| | - Qiang Huo
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guilin, 541006 China
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006 China
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25
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Choi SM, Choi H. Artificial Neural Network Modeling on PM 10, PM 2.5, and NO 2 Concentrations between Two Megacities without a Lockdown in Korea, for the COVID-19 Pandemic Period of 2020. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16338. [PMID: 36498408 PMCID: PMC9737941 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The mutual relationship among daily averaged PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 concentrations in two megacities (Seoul and Busan) connected by the busiest highway in Korea was investigated using an artificial neural network model (ANN)-sigmoid function, for a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period from 1 January to 31 December 2020. Daily and weekly mean concentrations of NO2 in 2020 under neither locked down cities, nor limitation of the activities of vehicles and people by the Korean Government have decreased by about 15%, and 12% in Seoul, and Busan cities, than the ones in 2019, respectively. PM 10 (PM2.5) concentration has also decreased by 15% (10%), and 12% (10%) in Seoul, and Busan, with a similar decline of NO2, causing an improvement in air quality in each city. Multilayer perception (MLP), which has a back-propagation training algorithm for a feed-forward artificial neural network technique with a sigmoid activation function was adopted to predict daily averaged PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 concentrations in two cities with their interplay. Root mean square error (RMSE) with the coefficient of determination (R2) evaluates the performance of the model between the predicted and measured values of daily mean PM10, PM2.5, and NO2, in Seoul were 2.251 with 0.882 (1.909 with 0.896; 1.913 with 0.892), 0.717 with 0.925 (0.955 with 0.930; 0.955 with 0.922), and 3.502 with 0.729 (2.808 with 0.746; 3.481 with 0.734), in 2 (5; 7) nodes in a single hidden layer. Similarly, they in Busan were 2.155 with 0.853 (1.519 with 0.896; 1.649 with 0.869), 0.692 with 0.914 (0.891 with 0.910; 1.211 with 0.883), and 2.747 with 0.667 (2.277 with 0.669; 2.137 with 0.689), respectively. The closeness of the predicted values to the observed ones shows a very high Pearson r correlation coefficient of over 0.932, except for 0.818 of NO2 in Busan. Modeling performance using IBM SPSS-v27 software on daily averaged PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 concentrations in each city were compared by scatter plots and their daily distributions between predicted and observed values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Min Choi
- Department of Computer Engineering, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Choi
- Atmospheric and Oceanic Disaster Research Institute, Gangneung 25563, Republic of Korea
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26
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Association Between Air Pollution, Climate Change, and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of the Recent Scientific Evidence. HEALTH SCOPE 2022. [DOI: 10.5812/jhealthscope-122412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Background: Recent studies indicated the possible relationship between climate change, environmental pollution, and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study reviewed the effects of air pollution, climate parameters, and lockdown on the number of cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Methods: The present review was performed to determine the effects of weather and air pollution on the number of cases and deaths related to COVID-19 during the lockdown. Articles were collected by searching the existing online databases, such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with no limitations on publication dates. Afterwards, this review focused on outdoor air pollution, including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and O3, and weather conditions affecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/COVID-19. Results: Most reviewed investigations in the present study showed that exposure to air pollutants, particularly PM2.5 and NO2, is positively related to COVID-19 patients and mortality. Moreover, these studies showed that air pollution could be essential in transmitting COVID-19. Local meteorology plays a vital role in coronavirus spread and mortality. Temperature and humidity variables are negatively correlated with virus transmission. The evidence demonstrated that air pollution could lead to COVID-19 transmission. These results support decision-makers in curbing potential new outbreaks. Conclusions: Overall, in environmental perspective-based COVID-19 studies, efforts should be accelerated regarding effective policies for reducing human emissions, bringing about air pollution and weather change. Therefore, using clean and renewable energy sources will increase public health and environmental quality by improving global air quality.
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27
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Chen T, Zhang P, Ma Q, Chu B, Liu J, Ge Y, He H. Smog Chamber Study on the Role of NO x in SOA and O 3 Formation from Aromatic Hydrocarbons. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13654-13663. [PMID: 36136046 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
China is facing dual pressures to reduce both PM2.5 and O3 pollution, the crucial precursors of which are NOx and VOCs. In our study, the role of NOx in both secondary organic aerosol (SOA, the important constituent of PM2.5) and O3 formation was examined in our 30 m3 indoor smog chamber. As revealed in the present study, the NOx level can obviously affect the OH concentration and volatility distribution of gas-phase oxidation products and thus O3 and SOA formation. Reducing the NOx concentration to the NOx-sensitive regime can inhibit O3 formation (by 42%), resulting in the reduction of oxidation capacity, which suppresses the SOA formation (by 45%) by inhibiting the formation of O- and N-containing gas-phase oxidation products with low volatility. The contribution of these oxidation products to the formation of SOA was also estimated, and the results could substantially support the trend of SOA yield with NOx at different VOC levels. The atmospheric implications of NOx in the coordinated control of PM2.5 and O3 are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianzeng Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qingxin Ma
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Biwu Chu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanli Ge
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hong He
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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28
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Hammam EE, Al Ghamdi MA, Almazroui M, Hassan IA. The COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantification of Temporal Variations in Air Pollutants Before, During and Post the Lockdown in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia. EARTH SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT 2022; 6:917-926. [PMID: 36185412 PMCID: PMC9513300 DOI: 10.1007/s41748-022-00328-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The government of Saudi Arabia imposed a strict lockdown between March and July 2020 to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has led to a sharp decline in economic activities. The daily temporal variations of PM10, PM2.5, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) were used to investigate the changes in air quality in response to COVID-19 lockdown control measures from January to December 2020 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Meteorological parameters (wind speed, direction, temperature, relative humidity) were also analyzed to understand the changes during the pandemic. As a result, significant reductions in the concentrations of NO2 (- 44.5%), CO (- 41.5%), and PM2.5, PM10 (- 29.5%, each) were measured in the capital city of Jeddah during the quarantine compared to the pre-lockdown average. In contrast, the lockdown caused a significant increase in O3 by 41%. The changes in air quality during the COVID-19 outbreak by comparing the average pollutant concentration before lockdown (January 1-March 21, 2020) and the following 12 weeks during the partial lockdown (March 22-July 28, 2020), reveal a very significant decrease in pollutants, and consequently a significant improvement in air quality. Observed differences are attributable to changes in point source emissions associated with changes in localized activities, possibly related to decreased economic and industrial activity in response to the lockdown. The results of the present study show during the study period indicated a positive response to lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the results can be used to establish future control measures and strategies to improve air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mansour A Al Ghamdi
- Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Agriculture of Arid Regions, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mansour Almazroui
- Center of Excellence for Climate Change Research/Department of Meteorology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
- Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Ibrahim A Hassan
- Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, 21511 Moharem Bay, Alexandria, Egypt
- Scientific Committee of Environmental Problems (SCOPE), Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT), 101 Kasr Al Ini Street, Cairo, Egypt
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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29
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Li M, Gu H, Lam SS, Sonne C, Peng W. Deposition-mediated phytoremediation of nitrogen oxide emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 308:119706. [PMID: 35798191 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The growing global population and use of natural resources lead to significant air pollution. Nitrogen oxide emissions is a potential killer threatening human health requiring focus and remediation using vegetation being efficient and cheap. Here we review the mechanisms of removing nitrogen oxides by dry deposition of plants, discussing the principle of leaf absorption of pollutants and factors affecting the removal of nitrogen oxides providing a theoretical basis for the selection of urban greening vegetation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhen Li
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Haping Gu
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries; 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Wanxi Peng
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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30
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Li M, Mao J, Chen S, Bian J, Bai Z, Wang X, Chen W, Yu P. Significant contribution of lightning NO x to summertime surface O 3 on the Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 829:154639. [PMID: 35314240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lightning generates nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the troposphere, an important precursor of tropospheric ozone (O3). The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is considered to be a global atmospheric background location with limited anthropogenic influences. However, the observed summertime surface O3 concentration on the TP is 25% higher than that in highly polluted regions (e.g., southern China). Previous studies have suggested that lightning-produced NOx (LNOx) can affect the concentration of surface O3. We used the Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) model combined with satellite, ground-based, and airborne observations to evaluate the contribution of LNOx to the surface O3 budget on the TP. Our results showed that LNOx contributed approximately 15% of the surface NOx emission on the TP in summer. Accordingly, the contribution of LNOx to the summertime surface daily maximum 8-h average (MDA8) O3 on the TP was 9.3 ± 7.1 ppb, which was 17.5% ± 14.5% of the total concentration of the surface MDA8 O3. In addition, our study found that the number of moles of NO produced per lightning flash (LNOx production efficiency) significantly affected the surface concentration of NOx, OH, and MDA8 O3. Increasing the LNOx production efficiency (PE) from 0 to 330 mol NO flash-1 increased the concentration of MDA8 O3 by up to 20% on the TP. Our study revealed that lightning significantly affects the atmospheric chemical processes involving O3 on the TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglu Li
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Jingying Mao
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Shuqing Chen
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Jianchun Bian
- Key Laboratory of Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhixuan Bai
- Key Laboratory of Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xuemei Wang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China.
| | - Pengfei Yu
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory of Collaborative Innovation for Environmental Quality, Guangzhou 511443, China.
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31
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Sun J, Zhou T, Wang D. Relationships between urban form and air quality: A reconsideration based on evidence from China's five urban agglomerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. LAND USE POLICY 2022; 118:106155. [PMID: 35450142 PMCID: PMC9010237 DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the widespread stagnation of urban activities, resulting in a significant reduction in industrial pollution and traffic pollution. This affected how urban form influences air quality. This study reconsiders the influence of urban form on air quality in five urban agglomerations in China during the pandemic period. The random forest algorithm was used to quantitate the urban form-air quality relationship. The urban form was described by urban size, shape, fragmentation, compactness, and sprawl. Air quality was evaluated by the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the concentration of six pollutants (CO, O3, NO2, PM2.5, PM10, SO2). The results showed that urban fragmentation is the most important factor affecting air quality and the concentration of the six pollutants. Additionally, the relationship between urban form and air quality varies in different urban agglomerations. By analyzing the extremely important indicators affecting air pollution, the urban form-air quality relationship in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei is rather complex. In the Chengdu-Chongqing and the Pearl River Delta, urban sprawl and urban compactness are extremely important indicators for some air pollutants, respectively. Furthermore, urban shape ranks first for some air pollutants both in the Triangle of Central China and the Yangtze River Delta. Based on the robustness test, the performance of the random forest model is better than that of the multiple linear regression (MLR) model and the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Sun
- School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
- Research Center for Construction Economy and Management, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Di Wang
- School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
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32
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Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns and Exposure Risks of PM2.5 Pollution in China. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14133173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The serious pollution of PM2.5 caused by rapid urbanization in recent years has become an urgent problem to be solved in China. Annual and daily satellite-derived PM2.5 datasets from 2001 to 2020 were used to analyze the temporal and spatial patterns of PM2.5 in China. The regional and population exposure risks of the nation and of urban agglomerations were evaluated by exceedance frequency and population weight. The results indicated that the PM2.5 concentrations of urban agglomerations decreased sharply from 2014 to 2020. The region with PM2.5 concentrations less than 35 μg·m−3 accounted for 80.27% in China, and the average PM2.5 concentrations in 8 urban agglomerations were less than 35 μg·m−3 in 2020. The spatial distribution pattern of PM2.5 concentrations in China revealed higher concentrations to the east of the Hu Line and lower concentrations to the west. The annual regional exposure risk (RER) in China was at a high level, with a national average of 0.75, while the average of 14 urban agglomerations was as high as 0.86. Among the 14 urban agglomerations, the average annual RER was the highest in the Shandong Peninsula (0.99) and lowest in the Northern Tianshan Mountains (0.76). The RER in China has obvious seasonality; the most serious was in winter, and the least serious was in summer. The population exposure risk (PER) east of the Hu Line was significantly higher than that west of the Hu Line. The average PER was the highest in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (4.09) and lowest in the Northern Tianshan Mountains (0.71). The analysis of air pollution patterns and exposure risks in China and urban agglomerations in this study could provide scientific guidance for cities seeking to alleviate air pollution and prevent residents’ exposure risks.
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33
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Azad S, Ghandehari M. Emissions of nitrogen dioxide in the northeast U.S. during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 312:114902. [PMID: 35364514 PMCID: PMC9758611 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114902] [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: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We have quantified the emissions of Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States during the COVID-19 lockdown. The measurement of NO2 emission serves as the indicator for the emission of the group of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Approximately 56% of NO2 emissions in the US are from mobile sources, and the remainder is from stationary sources. Since 2002, clean air regulations have resulted in approximately 5% compound annual reduction of NOx emissions in the US (8.2% in the study area). Therefore, when studying the impact of sporadic events like an epidemic on emissions, it is necessary to account for the persistent reduction of emissions due to policy driven emission reduction measures. Using spaceborne sensors, ground monitors, National Emission Inventory data, and the US Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator, we quantified the reduction of total NOx emissions, distinguishing stationary sources from on-road mobile sources (trucks and automobiles). When considering total NOx emissions (stationary and mobile combined), we find that the pandemic restrictions resulted in 3.4% reduction of total NOx emissions in the study area in 2020. This is compared to (and in addition to) the expected 8.2% policy driven reduction of NOx emissions in 2020. This somewhat low reduction of emissions is because most stationary sources (factories, power plants, etc.) were operational during the pandemic. Truck traffic, a significant source of mobile emissions, also did not decline significantly (average 4.8% monthly truck traffic reduction in the study area between March and August 2020), as they were delivering goods during the lockdown. On the other hand, automobile traffic, responsible for 24% of total NOx emissions, dropped significantly, 52% in April, returning to near normal after 5 months. While the reduction of automobile traffic was significant, especially in the early months of the pandemic, its effect on emissions was relatively insignificant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shams Azad
- New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA.
| | - Masoud Ghandehari
- New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA.
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34
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Pei C, Yang W, Zhang Y, Song W, Xiao S, Wang J, Zhang J, Zhang T, Chen D, Wang Y, Chen Y, Wang X. Decrease in ambient volatile organic compounds during the COVID-19 lockdown period in the Pearl River Delta region, south China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153720. [PMID: 35149077 PMCID: PMC8821021 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 lockdown, ambient ozone levels are widely reported to show much smaller decreases or even dramatical increases under substantially reduced precursor NOx levels, yet changes in ambient precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been scarcely reported during the COVID-19 lockdown, which is an opportunity to examine the impacts of dramatically changing anthropogenic emissions on ambient VOC levels in megacities where ozone formation is largely VOC-limited. In this study, ambient VOCs were monitored online at an urban site in Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta region before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown. The average total mixing ratios of VOCs became 19.1% lower during the lockdown than before, and those of alkanes, alkenes and aromatics decreased by 19.0%, 24.8% and 38.2%, respectively. The levels of light alkanes (C < 6) decreased by only 13.0%, while those of higher alkanes (C ≥ 6) decreased by 67.8% during the lockdown. Disappeared peak VOC levels in morning rush hours and the drop in toluene to benzene ratios during the lockdown suggested significant reductions in vehicle exhaust and industrial solvent emissions. Source apportioning by positive matrix factorization model revealed that reductions in industrial emissions, diesel exhaust (on-road diesel vehicles and off-road diesel engines) and gasoline-related emissions could account for 48.9%, 42.2% and 8.8%, respectively, of the decreased VOC levels during the lockdown. Moreover, the reduction in industrial emissions could explain 56.0% and 70.0% of the reductions in ambient levels of reactive alkenes and aromatics, respectively. An average increase in O3-1 h by 17% and a decrease in the daily maximum 8-h average ozone by 11% under an average decrease in NOx by 57.0% and a decrease in VOCs by 19.1% during the lockdown demonstrated that controlling emissions of precursors VOCs and NOx to prevent ambient O3 pollution in megacities such as Guangzhou remains a highly challenging task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglei Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangzhou Sub-branch of Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weiqiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Academy of Environmental Sciences, Guangzhou 510045, China
| | - Yanli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wei Song
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Shaoxuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinpu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangzhou Sub-branch of Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Regional Air Quality Monitoring, Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510308, China
| | - Duohong Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Regional Air Quality Monitoring, Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510308, China
| | - Yujun Wang
- Guangzhou Sub-branch of Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yanning Chen
- Guangzhou Sub-branch of Guangdong Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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35
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Bai H, Gao W, Zhang Y, Wang L. Assessment of health benefit of PM 2.5 reduction during COVID-19 lockdown in China and separating contributions from anthropogenic emissions and meteorology. J Environ Sci (China) 2022; 115:422-431. [PMID: 34969470 PMCID: PMC7825976 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The national lockdown policies have drastically disrupted socioeconomic activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, which provides a unique opportunity to investigate the air quality response to such anthropogenic disruptions. And it is meaningful to evaluate the potential health impacts of air quality changes during the lockdown, especially for PM2.5 with adverse health effects. In this study, by using PM2.5 observations from 1388 monitoring stations nationwide in China, we examine the PM2.5 variations between the COVID-19 lockdown (February and March in 2020) and the same period in 2015-2019, and find that the national average of PM2.5 decreases by 18 μg/m3, and mean PM2.5 for most sites (about 75%) decrease by 30%-60%. The anthropogenic and meteorological contributions to these PM2.5 variations are also determined by using a stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) model combined with the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko filter. Our results show that the change of anthropogenic emissions is a leading contributor to those widespread PM2.5 reductions, and meteorological conditions have the negative influence on PM2.5 reductions for some regions, such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH). Additionally, the avoided premature death due to PM2.5 reduction is estimated as a predicted number based on a log-linear concentration-response function. The total avoided premature death is 9952 in China, with dominant contribution (94%) from anthropogenic emission changes. For BTH, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Hubei regions, the reductions of PM2.5 are 24.1, 24.3, 13.5 and 29.5 μg/m3, with the avoided premature deaths of 1066, 1963, 454 and 583, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heming Bai
- Research Center for Intelligent Information Technology, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; Nantong Research Institute for Advanced Communication Technologies, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Wenkang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yuanpeng Zhang
- Research Center for Intelligent Information Technology, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; Department of Medical Informatics, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Li Wang
- Research Center for Intelligent Information Technology, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; Nantong Research Institute for Advanced Communication Technologies, Nantong 226019, China; Department of Medical Informatics, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
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36
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Zhao H, Wang L, Zhang Z, Qi Q, Zhang H. Quantifying ecological and health risks of ground-level O 3 across China during the implementation of the "Three-year Action Plan for Cleaner Air". THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 817:153011. [PMID: 35026272 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
After China implemented the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP), PM2.5 concentrations decreased but were still higher than national standards in major areas and ozone (O3) concentration increased unintentionally. To further decrease PM2.5 concentrations and reduce days with severe air pollution, the government promulgated the "Three-year (2018-2020) Action Plan for Cleaner Air" (the Three-year Action Plan) in 2018. During the three-year Action Plan, a few studies reported a continuous decline in PM2.5, but it is unclear whether O3 and its effects also increase with the decrease of PM2.5 like during APPCAP. In this study, for the first time, we systematically assessed changes in ground-level O3 concentrations and related ecological and health risks during the period of the Three-year Action Plan using nationwide O3 measurements. The national MDA8, Exceedance, and SOMO35 indicators were reduced by 3.8%, 28.5%, and 12.6%, respectively, ecological risk indicators of M12, M7, SUM06, AOT40, and W126 were reduced by 5.4%, 5.6%, 19.5%, 15.4%, and 18.6%, respectively, from 2018 to 2020. Spatially, the greatest reduction in all the indicators except MDA8 occurred in Pearl River Delta, followed by Fen Wei Plains, while Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Chengdu-Chongqing, and Yangtze River Delta presented relatively small reductions. Between 2018 and 2020, the production losses caused by O3 for wheat and rice decreased by 21.4% and 17.6%, respectively. Long-term exposure to O3 across China over 2020 was estimated to cause about 160,795 (95% CI: 81,515-312,983) for all-cause mortality, 107,128 (95% CI: 36,703-173,823) for cardiovascular mortality, and 34,444 (95% CI: 0-72,609) for respiratory mortality, indicating decreases of 9.93%, 9.86%, and 9.78%, respectively, compared to the year 2018. Taken together, our results provided the first direct evidence for China's efforts to control O3 pollution in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Shaanxi Meteorological Service Center of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Economic Crops, Xi'an 710014, China
| | - Qi Qi
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Hongliang Zhang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), Shanghai 200062, China.
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37
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Wang W, Zhang Y, Cao G, Song Y, Zhang J, Li R, Zhao L, Dong C, Cai Z. Influence of COVID-19 lockdown on the variation of organic aerosols: Insight into its molecular composition and oxidative potential. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 206:112597. [PMID: 34954148 PMCID: PMC8701764 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
To prevent the transmission of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), China adopted nationwide lockdown measures on January 25, 2020, leading to an evident diminution in the observed air pollutants. To investigate the influence of the lockdown on atmospheric chemistry, the specific molecular composition, oxidative potential of organic aerosols (OAs) in PM2.5 were studied using a high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry at a typical coal-combustion city, Linfen, in the North China Plain (NCP). The major air pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO were observed to be diminished by 28.6-45.4%, while O3 was augmented by 52.5% during the lockdown compared to those before the lockdown. A significant decrease of oxygen-containing (CHO) compounds (24.7%) associated with anthropogenic acids was observed during the lockdown, implying a reduction in fossil fuel combustion. The coal-burning related sulfur-containing organosulfates (CHOS-) and nitrooxy-sulfates (CHONS-) have also shown attenuated in both their relative abundances and anthropogenic/biogenic ratios. Amine/amide-like CHON + components have decreased by 27.6%, while nitro/nitrooxy-containing CHON- compounds have only decreased by 7.1%. Multi-source nitrogen-containing (CHN) compounds have shown a moderate elimination of 24.0%, while the identified high-condensed azaarenes have fallen from 17.7% to 14.7%, implying a potential reduction in the health risk of OAs during quarantine. The measurement of OAs' oxidative potential through dithiothreitol (DTT) assay has confirmed that as it had dropped from 0.88 nmol min-1 m-3 to 0.80 nmol min-1 m-3. High correlations were observed between the abundance of OA subgroups with the concentration of PM2.5 after the execution of the lockdown, suggesting a potential elevation in the contribution of organic components to the total PM2.5 level. Our study provides insightful compositional and health-related information in the variation of OAs during the lockdown period and attests to the validity of joint-control strategy in controlling the level and health risks of numerous atmospheric pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yanhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Guodong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanyuan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ruijin Li
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Lifang Zhao
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Chuan Dong
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Cheng Y, Cao XB, Liu JM, Yu QQ, Zhong YJ, Zhang Q, He KB. Exploring chemical changes of the haze pollution during a recent round of COVID-19 lockdown in a megacity in Northeast China. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 292:133500. [PMID: 34979207 PMCID: PMC8719449 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133500] [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: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 rebounded in China in January 2021, with Heilongjiang as one of the worst-affected provinces. This resulted in a new round of lockdown in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang, from 20 January to 22 February of 2021. A field campaign was conducted to explore the responses of haze pollution in Harbin to the lockdown. Levoglucosan was used to reflect biomass burning emissions, while the molar ratio of sulfur (the sum of sulfur dioxide and sulfate) to nitrogen (the sum of nitrogen dioxide and nitrate), i.e., RS/N, was used as an indicator for the relative importance of coal combustion and vehicle emissions. Based on a synthesis of the levoglucosan and RS/N results, reference period was selected with minimal influences of non-lockdown-related emission variations. As indicated by the almost unchanged sulfur dioxide concentrations, coal combustion emissions were relatively stable throughout the lockdown and reference periods, presumably because the associated activities, e.g., heating supply, power generation, etc., were usually uninterruptible. On the other hand, as suggested by the increase of RS/N, vehicle emissions were considerably reduced during lockdown, likely due to the stay-at-home orders. Compared to results from the reference samples, the lockdown period exhibited higher levels of ozone and various indicators for secondary aerosol formation, pointing to an enhancement of secondary pollution. In addition, photochemistry-related reactions in aqueous phase appeared to be present during the lockdown period, which have not been reported in the frigid atmosphere over Northeast China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Xu-Bing Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Jiu-Meng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Qin-Qin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Ying-Jie Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ke-Bin He
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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Liu C, Huang Z, Huang J, Liang C, Ding L, Lian X, Liu X, Zhang L, Wang D. Comparison of PM 2.5 and CO 2 Concentrations in Large Cities of China during the COVID-19 Lockdown. ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES 2022; 39:861-875. [PMID: 35313553 PMCID: PMC8926446 DOI: 10.1007/s00376-021-1281-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Estimating the impacts on PM2.5 pollution and CO2 emissions by human activities in different urban regions is important for developing efficient policies. In early 2020, China implemented a lockdown policy to contain the spread of COVID-19, resulting in a significant reduction of human activities. This event presents a convenient opportunity to study the impact of human activities in the transportation and industrial sectors on air pollution. Here, we investigate the variations in air quality attributed to the COVID-19 lockdown policy in the megacities of China by combining in-situ environmental and meteorological datasets, the Suomi-NPP/VIIRS and the CO2 emissions from the Carbon Monitor project. Our study shows that PM2.5 concentrations in the spring of 2020 decreased by 41.87% in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and 43.30% in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), respectively, owing to the significant shutdown of traffic and manufacturing industries. However, PM2.5 concentrations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region only decreased by 2.01% because the energy and steel industries were not fully paused. In addition, unfavorable weather conditions contributed to further increases in the PM2.5 concentration. Furthermore, CO2 concentrations were not significantly affected in China during the short-term emission reduction, despite a 19.52% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the same period in 2019. Our results suggest that concerted efforts from different emission sectors and effective long-term emission reduction strategies are necessary to control air pollution and CO2 emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuwei Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Zhongwei Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Jianping Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Chunsheng Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Lei Ding
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Xinbo Lian
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Xiaoyue Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Li Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
| | - Danfeng Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Western Ecological Safety (CIWES), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 China
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Efe B. Air quality improvement and its relation to mobility during COVID-19 lockdown in Marmara Region, Turkey. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:255. [PMID: 35257238 PMCID: PMC8900962 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09889-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (hereafter COVID-19) has changed the daily routines of people around the world. When the first case was confirmed on 11 March 2020 in Turkey, the number of cases reached 4500 per day by 10 April in Turkey. Afterwards, the government declared more restrictive lockdown measures for 31 metropolitan cities starting 10 April, and it was implemented for the following weekends, national, and religious holidays. The change in concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 during these measures with respect to the pre-lockdown period, the same period in the previous years and for different levels of measures for the cities in the Marmara Region of Turkey was investigated in this study. The daily mean concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 obtained from 11 stations operated by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and Google mobility data are used in this study. Average PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations during the lockdown period declined with respect to the pre-lockdown period and the previous year for all stations. Average PM10 concentrations during the lockdown of 8 of 11 stations declined, while the rest of the stations increased with respect to the pre-lockdown period. In 9 of the 11 stations, the average concentration of PM10 decreased compared to the previous four years. In 7 of the 11 stations, the number of days exceeding WHO limit for PM10 was decreased during the lockdown period with respect to the pre-lockdown period. For PM2.5, the number of days exceeding WHO limit was decreased during the lockdown period compared to the pre-lockdown period for all the stations. For NO2, the number of days exceeding WHO limit was decreased during the lockdown period compared to the pre-lockdown period for 7 of the 8 stations. There is a significant relationship between mobility decrease and NO2 concentrations in large cities. The correlation coefficients are generally lower in small cities in the study region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahtiyar Efe
- Department of Meteorological Engineering, University of Samsun, 19 Mayis, Samsun, Turkey.
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Cao H, Han L. The short-term impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on socioeconomic activities in China based on the OMI-NO 2 data. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:21682-21691. [PMID: 34767168 PMCID: PMC8586635 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17415-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
As an air pollutant closely related to urban traffic and heavy industrial capacity, the variation of NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) concentration can directly reflect the strength of socioeconomic activities. Using the weekly average results of daily product synthesis of tropospheric NO2 column concentrations from OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) satellite inversion, a weekly-scale variation series of standardized socioeconomic activity index during the Spring Festival period of 2019-2021 is constructed. The results show that the OMI-NO2 satellite data are in good consistency with ground-based monitoring data; the Spring Festival holiday also suppresses socioeconomic activity in normal years, but the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic leads to an extended period of 2-3 weeks of weakened socioeconomic activity in China after the holiday, while the minimum value of socioeconomic activity intensity decreases by 0.12. Although socioeconomic activity is significantly suppressed in the short term, the intensity of socioeconomic activity rises steadily with the gradual resumption of work and production everywhere from the third week after the Chinese Spring Festival and has reached 60.91% of the highest level before the holiday in the seventh week after the holiday. OMI-NO2 satellite data can be used for a rapid assessment of the intensity of air pollution emissions and the level of socioeconomic activity in different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongye Cao
- College of Geological Engineering and Geomatics, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710064, China
| | - Ling Han
- School of Land Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710064, China.
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Yang Y, Zhao T, Jiao H, Wu L, Xiao C, Guo X, Jin C. Atmospheric Organic Nitrogen Deposition in Strategic Water Sources of China after COVID-19 Lockdown. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052734. [PMID: 35270428 PMCID: PMC8910537 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition (AND) may lead to water acidification and eutrophication. In the five months after December 2019, China took strict isolation and COVID-19 prevention measures, thereby causing lockdowns for approximately 1.4 billion people. The Danjiangkou Reservoir refers to the water source in the middle route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, where the AND has increased significantly; thus, the human activities during the COVID-19 period is a unique case to study the influence of AND to water quality. This work monitored the AND distribution around the Danjiangkou Reservoir, including agricultural, urban, traffic, yard, and forest areas. After lockdown, the DTN, DON, and Urea-N were 1.99 kg · hm−2 · month−1, 0.80 kg · hm−2 · month−1, and 0.15 kg · hm−2 · month−1, respectively. The detected values for DTN, DON, and Urea-N in the lockdown period decreased by 9.6%, 30.4%, and 28.97%, respectively, compared to 2019. The reduction in human activities is the reason for the decrease. The urban travel intensity in Nanyang city reduced from 6 to 1 during the lockdown period; the 3 million population which should normally travel out from city were in isolation at home before May. The fertilization action to wheat and orange were also delayed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Yang
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
| | - Tongqian Zhao
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Huazhe Jiao
- School of Civil Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China;
| | - Li Wu
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
| | - Chunyan Xiao
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
| | - Xiaoming Guo
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
| | - Chao Jin
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China; (Y.Y.); (L.W.); (C.X.); (X.G.); (C.J.)
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Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdown on the NO2 Concentrations and Urban Thermal Environment: Evidence from the Five Largest Urban Agglomerations in China. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14040921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Under the threat of COVID-19, many regions around the world implemented lockdown policies to control the spread of the virus. This restriction on both social and economic activities has improved the quality of the environment in certain aspects. However, most previous studies have only focused on the short-term impact of lockdown policies on the urban environment. The long-term effects of lockdown require a more focused exploration and analysis. Thus, five major urban agglomerations in China were selected as the research area; changes in the numerical and spatial distribution of NO2 concentration and surface temperature during four different lockdown stages in 2019, 2020, and 2021 were investigated to analyze the long-term effects of lockdown policies on the urban environment. The results indicated that the impact of shorter lockdowns was short-term and unsustainable; the NO2 concentrations increased again with the resumption of production. Compared with air pollutants, thermal environmental problems are more complex. The effect of the lockdown policy was not reflected in the decrease in the area proportions of the high- and sub-high-temperature regions but rather in the spatial distribution of the high-temperature area, which was manifested as a fragmentation and dispersion of heat source patches. In addition to the severity of the lockdown, the impact of the lockdown policy was also closely related to the level of development and industrial structure of each city. Among the urban environments of the five agglomerations, the most affected were the Yangtze River Delta and Yangtze River Middle-Reach urban agglomerations, which had the largest decline in NO2 concentrations and the most notable fragmentation of heat source patches.
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Silva ACT, Branco PTBS, Sousa SIV. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:1950. [PMID: 35206139 PMCID: PMC8871899 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19041950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, several governments imposed severe restrictions on socio-economic activities, putting most of the world population into a general lockdown in March 2020. Although scattered, studies on this topic worldwide have rapidly emerged in the literature. Hence, this systematic review aimed to identify and discuss the scientifically validated literature that evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on air quality. Thus, a total of 114 studies that quantified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality through monitoring were selected from three databases. The most evaluated countries were India and China; all the studies intended to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on air quality, mainly concerning PM10, PM2.5, NO2, O3, CO, and SO2. Most of them focused on the 1st lockdown, comparing with the pre- and post-lockdown periods and usually in urban areas. Many studies conducted a descriptive analysis, while others complemented it with more advanced statistical analysis. Although using different methodologies, some studies reported a temporary air quality improvement during the lockdown. More studies are still needed, comparing different lockdown and lifting periods and, in other areas, for a definition of better-targeted policies to reduce air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Catarina T. Silva
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.T.S.); (P.T.B.S.B.)
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro T. B. S. Branco
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.T.S.); (P.T.B.S.B.)
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sofia I. V. Sousa
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.T.S.); (P.T.B.S.B.)
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Zhou X, Strezov V, Jiang Y, Kan T, Evans T. Temporal and spatial variations of air pollution across China from 2015 to 2018. J Environ Sci (China) 2022; 112:161-169. [PMID: 34955200 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and O3, and air quality index (AQI) values across 368 cities in mainland China during 2015-2018. The study further examined relationships of air pollution status with local industrial capacities and vehicle possessions. Strong correlations were found between industrial capacities (coal, pig iron, crude steel and rolled steel) and air pollution levels. Although statistical and significant reductions of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and AQI values were observed in response to various laws and regulations in industrial sectors, both particle and gaseous pollutants still had annual average concentrations above recommended limits. In order to further reduce air pollution, more efforts can be done to control traffic emissions caused by minicars and heavy trucks, which was revealed after investigating 16 vehicle types. This was also consistent with the apparent air quality improvement during the COVID-19 lockdown period in China in 2020, despite industrial operations being still active at full capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoteng Zhou
- ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
| | - Vladimir Strezov
- ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Yijiao Jiang
- ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Tao Kan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Tim Evans
- ARC Research Hub for Computational Particle Technology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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Yang K, Wu C, Luo Y. The impact of COVID-19 on urban PM 2.5 -taking Hubei Province as an example. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 294:118633. [PMID: 34890744 PMCID: PMC8660577 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In January 2020, China implemented strict lockdown measures due to the invasion of the new coronavirus, which led to a sharp decline in the contribution of anthropogenic fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The special period of COVID-19, especially in Hubei where the epidemic was the most severe, provides excellent research conditions for studying the contribution of anthropogenic activities to PM2.5 concentrations. We used an optimized deep learning model to predict PM2.5 concentration during the epidemic period in the cities of Hubei Province. The contributions of local anthropogenic activities to PM2.5 pollution were obtained by contrasting the predicted results with actual site observations. However, a strange phenomenon was revealed that Yichang, a city with low local anthropogenic contribution to PM2.5, was found to have severe haze in winter conflicting with our previous expectations. After further research, we found that an increased conversion of secondary aerosols caused by long-distance transport of pollutant gases from the northern region is the main cause of winter haze pollution in this city. This finding highlights the importance of joint regional prevention and control of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Yang
- Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China; GIS Technology Research Center of Resource and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Changhao Wu
- GIS Technology Research Center of Resource and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China; School of Information Science and Technology, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China; GIS Technology Research Center of Resource and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan, 650500, China.
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The Different Impacts of Emissions and Meteorology on PM2.5 Changes in Various Regions in China: A Case Study. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Emissions and meteorology are significant factors affecting aerosol pollution, but it is not sufficient to understand their relative contributions to aerosol pollution changes. In this study, the observational data and the chemical model (GRAPES_CUACE) are combined to estimate the drivers of PM2.5 changes in various regions (the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH), the Central China (CC), the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the Pearl River Delta (PRD)) between the first month after COVID-19 (FMC_2020) (i.e., from 23 January to 23 February 2020) and the corresponding period in 2019 (FMC_2019). The results show that PM2.5 mass concentration increased by 26% (from 61 to 77 µg m−3) in the BTH, while it decreased by 26% (from 94 to 70 µg m−3) in the CC, 29% (from 52 to 37 µg m−3) in the YRD, and 32% (from 34 to 23 µg m−3) in the PRD in FMC_2020 comparing with FMC_2019, respectively. In the BTH, although emissions reductions partly improved PM2.5 pollution (−5%, i.e., PM2.5 mass concentration decreased by 5% due to emissions) in FMC_2020 compared with that of FMC_2019, the total increase in PM2.5 mass concentration was dominated by more unfavorable meteorological conditions (+31%, i.e., PM2.5 mass concentration increased by 31% due to meteorology). In the CC and the YRD, emissions reductions (−33 and −36%) played a dominating role in the total decrease in PM2.5 in FMC_2020, while the changed meteorological conditions partly worsened PM2.5 pollution (+7 and +7%). In the PRD, emissions reductions (−23%) and more favorable meteorological conditions (−9%) led to a total decrease in PM2.5 mass concentration. This study reminds us that the uncertainties of relative contributions of meteorological conditions and emissions on PM2.5 changes in various regions are large, which is conducive to policymaking scientifically in China.
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Assessing the Impacts of Human Activities on Air Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic through Case Analysis. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13020181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is the latest of many pandemic affecting the world in the past few decades, and it has had a significant impact on the global environment. Some research has analysed the effects of the pandemic on air quality; however, very few studies have employed relationship analytics. In order to analyse the potential relationship between pandemic-related information and air quality data from a more holistic and detailed point of view, we propose a methodology based on pure data analysis. Three types of data were collected, namely air quality index, pandemic-related events, and number of COVID cases. Data were collected from five cities—Wuhan, New York, Seoul, Melbourne, and Singapore—to further analyse the response of air quality index to COVID events, thus revealing how human activity influences air quality from a pandemic perspective. The results show that a potential connection does exist in most cases and provide more evidence showing that air pollution declined during the pandemic. However, the strength of this relationship may also be related to other factors, such as geography, politics, population density, and measures imposed by local authorities, etc. This study provides another perspective to assist stakeholders in improving environmental decision making.
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Cucciniello R, Raia L, Vasca E. Air quality evaluation during COVID-19 in Southern Italy: the case study of Avellino city. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111803. [PMID: 34363800 PMCID: PMC8479540 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study relies on the air quality evaluation during COVID-19 pandemic in Avellino, described in the last years and for several consecutive years, among the worst Italian cities in this context. The main purpose of this manuscript was to investigate the effects of quarantine and lockdown measures on air pollution. The concentrations of the main atmospheric pollutants (Carbon monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), Fine Particulate (PM2.5 and PM10), Benzene (C6H6) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were recorded during the period January-December 2020 using two stationary monitoring stations (AV1 and AV2) of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAC). During the lockdown period (March 9-May 18, 2020), results indicated significant reductions only in the levels of CO, benzene and NO2, while for PM10 the limit of 50 μg m-3 was passed 8 times for AV1 and 13 times for AV2. The results showed the not predominant role of traffic on air quality in Avellino regards to PM levels and make it necessary a serious reflection about important and not extendable decisions to improve the air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Cucciniello
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "Adolfo Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
| | - Letizia Raia
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "Adolfo Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Ermanno Vasca
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "Adolfo Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
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Zhang J, Li H, Chen L, Huang X, Zhang W, Zhao R. Particle composition, sources and evolution during the COVID-19 lockdown period in Chengdu, southwest China: Insights from single particle aerosol mass spectrometer data. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2022; 268:118844. [PMID: 34776748 PMCID: PMC8575539 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2021.118844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown on air quality in cities in southwest China, a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) and other online equipments were used to measure the air pollution in Chengdu, one of the megacities in this area, before and during the lockdown period. It was found that the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) decreased by 38.6%, 77.5%, 47.0%, 35.1% and 14.1%, respectively, while the concentration of ozone (O3) increased by 57.5% from the time before to the time during lockdown. All particles collected during the study period could be divided into eight categories: biomass burning (BB), coal combustion (CC), vehicle emissions (VE), cooking emissions (CE), Dust, K-nitrate (K-NO3), K-sulfate (K-SO4) and K-sulfate-nitrate (K-SN) particles, and their contributions changed significantly after the beginning of lockdown. Compared to before lockdown, the contribution of VE particles experienced the largest reduction (by 14.9%), whereas the contributions of BB and CE particles increased by 7.0% and 7.3%, respectively, during the lockdown period. Regional transmission was critical for pollution formation before lockdown, whereas the pollution that occurred during the lockdown period was caused mainly by locally emitted particles (such as VE, CE and BB particles). Weighted potential source contribution function (WPSCF) analysis further verified and emphasized the difference in the contribution of regional transmission for pollution formation before and during lockdown. In addition, the potential source area and intensity of the particles emitted from different sources or formation mechanisms were quite different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junke Zhang
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, China
| | - Huan Li
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, China
| | - Luyao Chen
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, China
| | - Xiaojuan Huang
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Sichuan Environmental Monitoring Center, Chengdu, 610074, China
| | - Rui Zhao
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 611756, China
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