Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans
The effect of COVID-19 lockdown (LD) on many ambient air pollutants (NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, O<sub>3</sub> and SO<sub>2</sub>) was assessed for the first time in the Western Balkans with an innovative approach...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/90 |
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| author | Claudio A. Belis Djordje Djatkov Martina Toceva Jasmina Knezevic Gordana Djukanovic Aneta Stefanovska Nikola Golubov Biljana Jovic Andreas Gavros |
| author_facet | Claudio A. Belis Djordje Djatkov Martina Toceva Jasmina Knezevic Gordana Djukanovic Aneta Stefanovska Nikola Golubov Biljana Jovic Andreas Gavros |
| author_sort | Claudio A. Belis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effect of COVID-19 lockdown (LD) on many ambient air pollutants (NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, O<sub>3</sub> and SO<sub>2</sub>) was assessed for the first time in the Western Balkans with an innovative approach that evaluates a variety of factors including the stringency of the LD measures, the type of location, the pollution sources, the correlation with traffic fluxes and the meteorology. To that end, observations from 10 urban sites were compared with historical time series. The time window 1 February–30 May 2020 was classified in sub-periods on the basis of the stringency of the circulation restrictions. NO<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>3</sub> are the pollutants most affected by restrictions to population circulation due to lockdown during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and are well correlated with traffic fluxes. A reduction in fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub>) concentrations is observed in all sites only during the full LD periods, while the relation between SO<sub>2</sub> average and maximum hourly concentrations and LD periods in industrial and traffic sites vary from site to site. The reduction in NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations during the LD resulted in a reduction in mortality associated with air pollution in the largest cities, while the interpretation of the changes in O<sub>3</sub> and particulate matter is less clear. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-20aecc60b3f04040a0e08b61004bf900 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-20aecc60b3f04040a0e08b61004bf9002025-01-24T13:21:59ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-01-011619010.3390/atmos16010090Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western BalkansClaudio A. Belis0Djordje Djatkov1Martina Toceva2Jasmina Knezevic3Gordana Djukanovic4Aneta Stefanovska5Nikola Golubov6Biljana Jovic7Andreas Gavros8European Commission, Joint Research Centre, 21027 Ispra, ItalyFaculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, SerbiaMinistry of Environment and Physical Planning, 1000 Skopje, North MacedoniaSerbian Environmental Protection Agency, 11060 Belgrade, SerbiaEnvironment Protection Agency of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, MontenegroMinistry of Environment and Physical Planning, 1000 Skopje, North MacedoniaMinistry of Environment and Physical Planning, 1000 Skopje, North MacedoniaSerbian Environmental Protection Agency, 11060 Belgrade, SerbiaFincons SpA, 20123 Milan, ItalyThe effect of COVID-19 lockdown (LD) on many ambient air pollutants (NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, O<sub>3</sub> and SO<sub>2</sub>) was assessed for the first time in the Western Balkans with an innovative approach that evaluates a variety of factors including the stringency of the LD measures, the type of location, the pollution sources, the correlation with traffic fluxes and the meteorology. To that end, observations from 10 urban sites were compared with historical time series. The time window 1 February–30 May 2020 was classified in sub-periods on the basis of the stringency of the circulation restrictions. NO<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>3</sub> are the pollutants most affected by restrictions to population circulation due to lockdown during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and are well correlated with traffic fluxes. A reduction in fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub>) concentrations is observed in all sites only during the full LD periods, while the relation between SO<sub>2</sub> average and maximum hourly concentrations and LD periods in industrial and traffic sites vary from site to site. The reduction in NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations during the LD resulted in a reduction in mortality associated with air pollution in the largest cities, while the interpretation of the changes in O<sub>3</sub> and particulate matter is less clear.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/90air pollutionCOVID-19mortality |
| spellingShingle | Claudio A. Belis Djordje Djatkov Martina Toceva Jasmina Knezevic Gordana Djukanovic Aneta Stefanovska Nikola Golubov Biljana Jovic Andreas Gavros Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans Atmosphere air pollution COVID-19 mortality |
| title | Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans |
| title_full | Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans |
| title_short | Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans |
| title_sort | analysis of covid 19 lockdown to understand air pollution processes and their impacts on health a case study in the western balkans |
| topic | air pollution COVID-19 mortality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/1/90 |
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