1
|
Ma Y, Cheng B, Li H, Feng F, Zhang Y, Wang W, Qin P. Air pollution and its associated health risks before and after COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 320:121090. [PMID: 36649879 PMCID: PMC9840128 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is a serious environmental problem that damages public health. In the present study, we used the segmentation function to improve the health risk-based air quality index (HAQI) and named it new HAQI (NHAQI). To investigate the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of air pollutants and the associated health risks in Shaanxi Province before (Period I, 2015-2019) and after (Period II, 2020-2021) COVID-19. The six criteria pollutants were analyzed between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021, using the air quality index (AQI), aggregate AQI (AAQI), and NHAQI. The results showed that compared with AAQI and NHAQI, AQI underestimated the combined effects of multiple pollutants. The average concentrations of the six criteria pollutants were lower in Period II than in Period I due to reductions in anthropogenic emissions, with the concentrations of PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm diameter), PM10 (PM ≤ 10 μm diameter) SO2, NO2, O3, and CO decreased by 23.5%, 22.5%, 45.7%, 17.6%, 2.9%, and 41.6%, respectively. In Period II, the excess risk and the number of air pollution-related deaths decreased considerably by 46.5% and 49%, respectively. The cumulative population distribution estimated using the NHAQI revealed that 61% of the total number of individuals in Shaanxi Province were exposed to unhealthy air during Period I, whereas this proportion decreased to 16% during Period II. Although overall air quality exhibited substantial improvements, the associated health risks in winter remained high.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Ma
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Bowen Cheng
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Heping Li
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Fengliu Feng
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Wanci Wang
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Pengpeng Qin
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Key Laboratory of Semi-Arid Climate Change, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ogunjo S, Olusola A, Orimoloye I. Association Between Weather Parameters and SARS-CoV-2 Confirmed Cases in Two South African Cities. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000520. [PMID: 36348988 PMCID: PMC9635841 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Several approaches have been used in the race against time to mitigate the spread and impact of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the role of temperature, relative humidity, and particulate matter in the spread of COVID-19 cases within two densely populated cities of South Africa-Pretoria and Cape Town. The role of different levels of COVID-19 restrictions in the air pollution levels, obtained from the Purple Air Network, of the two cities were also considered. Our results suggest that 26.73% and 43.66% reduction in PM2.5 levels were observed in Cape Town and Pretoria respectively for no lockdown (Level 0) to the strictest lockdown level (Level 5). Furthermore, our results showed a significant relationship between particulate matter and COVID-19 in the two cities. Particulate matter was found to be a good predictor, based on the significance of causality test, of COVID-19 cases in Pretoria with a lag of 7 days and more. This suggests that the effect of particulate matter on the number of cases can be felt after 7 days and beyond in Pretoria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ogunjo
- Department of PhysicsFederal University of TechnologyAkureNigeria
| | - Adeyemi Olusola
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban ChangeYork UniversityTorontoCanada
- Department of GeographyUniversity of the Free StateBloemfonteinSouth Africa
| | - Israel Orimoloye
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Food and AgricultureThe University of the West Indies, St. Augustine CampusSt. AugustineTrinidad and Tobago
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ogunjo S, Olaniyan O, Olusegun C, Kayode F, Okoh D, Jenkins G. The Role of Meteorological Variables and Aerosols in the Transmission of COVID-19 During Harmattan Season. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000521. [PMID: 35229057 PMCID: PMC8865058 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The role of atmospheric parameters and aerosols in the transmission of COVID-19 within tropical Africa, especially during the harmattan season, has been under-investigated in published papers. The harmattan season within the West African region is associated with significant dust incursion from the Bodele depression and biomass burning. In this study, the correlation between atmospheric parameters (temperature and humidity) and aerosols with COVID-19 cases and fatalities within seven locations in tropical Nigeria during the harmattan period was investigated. COVID-19 infection cases were found to be significantly positively correlated with atmospheric parameters (temperature and humidity) in the southern part of the country while the number of fatalities showed weaker significant correlation with particulate matters only in three locations. The significant correlation values were found to be between 0.22 and 0.48 for particulate matter and -0.19 to -0.32 for atmospheric parameters. Although, temperature and humidity showed negative correlations in some locations, the impact is smaller compared to particulate matter. In December, COVID-19 cases in all locations showed strong correlation with particulate matter except in Kano State. It is suggested that a reduction in atmospheric particulate matter can be used as a control measure for the spread of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S. Ogunjo
- Department of PhysicsFederal University of TechnologyAkureNigeria
| | - O. Olaniyan
- National Weather Forecasting and Climate Research CentreNigerian Meteorological AgencyAbujaNigeria
| | - C.F. Olusegun
- Centre for Atmospheric ResearchNational Space Research and Development AgencyKogi State University CampusAnyigbaNigeria
| | - F. Kayode
- Centre for Atmospheric ResearchNational Space Research and Development AgencyKogi State University CampusAnyigbaNigeria
| | - D. Okoh
- Centre for Atmospheric ResearchNational Space Research and Development AgencyKogi State University CampusAnyigbaNigeria
| | - G. Jenkins
- Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric SciencesPenn State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Poor Air Quality in Urban Settings: A Comparison of Perceptual Indicators, Causes and Management in Two Cities. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Poor air quality (PAQ) is a global concern, especially in urban areas, and is often seen as an important element of social sustainability given its negative impact on health and quality of life. However, little research has been undertaken in cities of the developing world to explore how residents perceive poor air quality, its main causes, what control measures should be used to address PAQ and where the main responsibility rests for implementing control measures. The research described in this paper sought to address these points, using a questionnaire-based survey (n = 262) in Nigeria’s federal capital city of Abuja (n = 137) and the state-capital city of Enugu (n = 125). The survey took place during the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020 to March 2021), and was stratified to ensure representation across a number of demographic groups such as gender, age, education and income. The results were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test and Hochberg’s post hoc test available in SPSS version 28. The study found that the ranking of perceptual indicators and the main causes of PAQ had much agreement between respondents from both cities and between demographic groups. Smoke, odour and dust particles were perceived to be the most important indicators of PAQ, while the main sources of PAQ were waste and bush burning, vehicle use and power generators. The two most preferred control measures were proper waste management and the avoidance of bush burning. However, there was a significant difference between the two cities in terms of the main organisations responsible for addressing PAQ, with respondents from Abuja citing the federal government, while those from Enugu cited the state government. Interestingly, younger people in Enugu noted that the government should take more responsibility in controlling PAQ than did the older demographic in that city, but this difference was not seen in Abuja. Overall, this study reveals that residents in these two Nigerian cities clearly recognise their exposure to PAQ and it suggests that these perceptual indicators, and views on sources and interventions should be central to designing policies to control this important issue.
Collapse
|