Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India

Abstract To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Government of India imposed strict lockdown in the country from 24 March–31 May 2020, which allows the environment to revive with reduced emissions. The present work analyses the PM2.5, NO2, O3, CO and SO2 along with meteorological parameters (humidity, te...

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Main Authors: Jyotsna Singh, Bhishma Tyagi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2020-12-01
Series:Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200490
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author Jyotsna Singh
Bhishma Tyagi
author_facet Jyotsna Singh
Bhishma Tyagi
author_sort Jyotsna Singh
collection DOAJ
description Abstract To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Government of India imposed strict lockdown in the country from 24 March–31 May 2020, which allows the environment to revive with reduced emissions. The present work analyses the PM2.5, NO2, O3, CO and SO2 along with meteorological parameters (humidity, temperature and wind speed) at a tropical coastal station Chennai for March-May 2019 and 2020 at five locations: Alandur Bus depot, Velachery, Manali, Teynampet and U.S. Embassy Chennai. Chennai is a megacity of southern India and the state capital of Tamil Nadu, one of the worst affected states due to COVID-19. Though overall PM2.5 values decreased for the lockdown (ranging from ~32–187%), weekly analysis shows the variation in reduction/increase. SO2 and O3 values were found increasing for two sites: Teynampet (~40% in SO2 and ~48% in O3) and Velachery (~42% in SO2 and ~5% in O3), but decreasing for Alandur (~30% in SO2 and ~50% in O3) and Manali (~247% in SO2). NOx and CO were reduced during the lockdown (~47–125%) for all the sites. The source regions examined by concentration weighted trajectory analysis were found to change for transporting pollution to the site. The analysis shows there are local scale variations in the air pollution for the city during COVID-19 lockdown.
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spelling doaj-art-00586f3e9419442099a986cefd31e4b12025-08-20T02:48:27ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092020-12-0121411210.4209/aaqr.200490Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in IndiaJyotsna Singh0Bhishma Tyagi1Shanti Raj BhawanDepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, National Institute of Technology RourkelaAbstract To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Government of India imposed strict lockdown in the country from 24 March–31 May 2020, which allows the environment to revive with reduced emissions. The present work analyses the PM2.5, NO2, O3, CO and SO2 along with meteorological parameters (humidity, temperature and wind speed) at a tropical coastal station Chennai for March-May 2019 and 2020 at five locations: Alandur Bus depot, Velachery, Manali, Teynampet and U.S. Embassy Chennai. Chennai is a megacity of southern India and the state capital of Tamil Nadu, one of the worst affected states due to COVID-19. Though overall PM2.5 values decreased for the lockdown (ranging from ~32–187%), weekly analysis shows the variation in reduction/increase. SO2 and O3 values were found increasing for two sites: Teynampet (~40% in SO2 and ~48% in O3) and Velachery (~42% in SO2 and ~5% in O3), but decreasing for Alandur (~30% in SO2 and ~50% in O3) and Manali (~247% in SO2). NOx and CO were reduced during the lockdown (~47–125%) for all the sites. The source regions examined by concentration weighted trajectory analysis were found to change for transporting pollution to the site. The analysis shows there are local scale variations in the air pollution for the city during COVID-19 lockdown.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200490COVID-19CWT analysisParticulate matterNitrogen dioxideSulphur dioxide
spellingShingle Jyotsna Singh
Bhishma Tyagi
Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
Aerosol and Air Quality Research
COVID-19
CWT analysis
Particulate matter
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulphur dioxide
title Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
title_full Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
title_fullStr Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
title_full_unstemmed Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
title_short Transformation of Air Quality over a Coastal Tropical Station Chennai during COVID-19 Lockdown in India
title_sort transformation of air quality over a coastal tropical station chennai during covid 19 lockdown in india
topic COVID-19
CWT analysis
Particulate matter
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulphur dioxide
url https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200490
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AT bhishmatyagi transformationofairqualityoveracoastaltropicalstationchennaiduringcovid19lockdowninindia