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Changes in Air Quality and Drivers for the Heavy PM 2.5 Pollution on the North China Plain Pre- to Post-COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Shuang Liu

    (College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Xingchuan Yang

    (College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Fuzhou Duan

    (College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Wenji Zhao

    (College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China)

Abstract

Under the clean air action plans and the lockdown to constrain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the air quality improved significantly. However, fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) pollution still occurred on the North China Plain (NCP). This study analyzed the variations of PM 2.5 , nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O 3 ) during 2017–2021 on the northern (Beijing) and southern (Henan) edges of the NCP. Furthermore, the drivers for the PM 2.5 pollution episodes pre- to post-COVID-19 in Beijing and Henan were explored by combining air pollutant and meteorological datasets and the weighted potential source contribution function. Results showed air quality generally improved during 2017–2021, except for a slight rebound (3.6%) in NO 2 concentration in 2021 in Beijing. Notably, the O 3 concentration began to decrease significantly in 2020. The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in a sharp drop in the concentrations of PM 2.5 , NO 2 , SO 2 , and CO in February of 2020, but PM 2.5 and CO in Beijing exhibited a delayed decrease in March. For Beijing, the PM 2.5 pollution was driven by the initial regional transport and later secondary formation under adverse meteorology. For Henan, the PM 2.5 pollution was driven by the primary emissions under the persistent high humidity and stable atmospheric conditions, superimposing small-scale regional transport. Low wind speed, shallow boundary layer, and high humidity are major drivers of heavy PM 2.5 pollution. These results provide an important reference for setting mitigation measures not only for the NCP but for the entire world.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuang Liu & Xingchuan Yang & Fuzhou Duan & Wenji Zhao, 2022. "Changes in Air Quality and Drivers for the Heavy PM 2.5 Pollution on the North China Plain Pre- to Post-COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12904-:d:936597
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Beom-Soon Han & Kyeongjoo Park & Kyung-Hwan Kwak & Seung-Bu Park & Han-Gyul Jin & Sungju Moon & Jong-Won Kim & Jong-Jin Baik, 2020. "Air Quality Change in Seoul, South Korea under COVID-19 Social Distancing: Focusing on PM 2.5," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Asif Iqbal & Shirina Afroze & Md. Mizanur Rahman, 2019. "Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Vehicular Emissions as an Urban Health Indicator in Dhaka City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-21, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen-Lu Wu & Chun-Yan Shan & Jing Liu & Jing-Lin Zhao & Jin-Yun Long, 2023. "Analysis of Factors Influencing Air Quality in Different Periods during COVID-19: A Case Study of Tangshan, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Mohsen Maghrebi & Ali Danandeh Mehr & Seyed Mohsen Karrabi & Mojtaba Sadegh & Sadegh Partani & Behzad Ghiasi & Vahid Nourani, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Variations of Air Pollution during the COVID-19 Pandemic across Tehran, Iran: Commonalities with and Differences from Global Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, December.

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