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Air Quality Changes during the COVID-19 Lockdown in an Industrial City in North China: Post-Pandemic Proposals for Air Quality Improvement

Author

Listed:
  • Hongya Niu

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

  • Chongchong Zhang

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

  • Wei Hu

    (Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

  • Tafeng Hu

    (Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Chunmiao Wu

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

  • Sihao Hu

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

  • Luis F. O. Silva

    (Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de la Costa, Calle 58 #55-66, Barranquilla 080002, Atlántico, Colombia)

  • Nana Gao

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

  • Xiaolei Bao

    (Hebei Chemical & Pharmaceutical College, Shijiazhuang 050026, China)

  • Jingsen Fan

    (School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China)

Abstract

To better understand the changes in air pollutants in an industrial city, Handan, North China, during the COVID-19 lockdown period, the air quality and meteorological conditions were recorded from 1 January to 3 March 2020 and the corresponding period in 2019. Compared to the corresponding period in 2019, the largest reduction in PM 2.5–10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 and CO occurred during the COVID-19 lockdown period. PM 2.5–10 displayed the highest reduction (66.6%), followed by NO 2 (58.4%) and PM 2.5 (50.1%), while O 3 increased by 13.9%. Similarly, compared with the pre-COVID-19 period, NO 2 significantly decreased by 66.1% during the COVID-19 lockdown, followed by PM 2.5–10 (45.9%) and PM 2.5 (42.4%), while O 3 increased significantly (126%). Among the different functional areas, PM 2.5 and PM 2.5–10 dropped the most in the commercial area during the COVID-19 lockdown. NO 2 and SO 2 decreased the most in the traffic and residential areas, respectively, while NO 2 increased only in the township and SO 2 increased the most in the industrial area. O 3 increased in all functional areas to different extents. Potential source contribution function analysis indicated that not only the local air pollution lessened, but also long-distance or inter-regional transport contributed much less to heavy pollution during the lockdown period. These results indicate that the COVID-19 lockdown measures led to significantly reduced PM and NO 2 but increased O 3 , highlighting the importance of the synergetic control of PM 2.5 and O 3 , as well as regional joint prevention and the control of air pollution. Moreover, it is necessary to formulate air pollution control measures according to functional areas on a city scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongya Niu & Chongchong Zhang & Wei Hu & Tafeng Hu & Chunmiao Wu & Sihao Hu & Luis F. O. Silva & Nana Gao & Xiaolei Bao & Jingsen Fan, 2022. "Air Quality Changes during the COVID-19 Lockdown in an Industrial City in North China: Post-Pandemic Proposals for Air Quality Improvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11531-:d:914757
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    References listed on IDEAS

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