COVID-19 pandemic impacted differently air quality in Latin American cities

IF 2.9 4区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Air Quality Atmosphere and Health Pub Date : 2025-05-17 DOI:10.1007/s11869-025-01738-z

Oliva Atiaga, Fernando Páez, Wilson Jácome, Rafael Castro, Edison Collaguazo, Luís Miguel Nunes

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This research explores the spatial and temporal variations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃) levels in four Latin American cities, namely Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Lima, and the Metropolitan District of Quito, utilizing Sentinel-5P satellite data alongside ground-based monitoring stations. The period covers pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing insights into pollutant behaviour across different levels of human activity. Findings show notable spatial variability in pollutant levels, with Santiago de Chile repeatedly presenting the highest concentrations of NO₂ and SO₂, linked to urban development and local weather patterns, whereas Quito showed the lowest levels. The lockdowns typically resulted in decreased NO₂ concentrations, yet their effects on SO₂ and O₃ levels were inconsistent, highlighting the complexity of pollutant interactions. The research confirms that satellite data serves as an affordable addition to conventional monitoring, especially in areas with limited resources. These results emphasize the necessity for customized, city-oriented strategies to reduce urban air pollution and safeguard public health.

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COVID-19大流行对拉丁美洲城市的空气质量产生了不同的影响

这项研究利用Sentinel-5P卫星数据和地面监测站，探讨了四个拉丁美洲城市，即墨西哥城、智利圣地亚哥、利马和基多大都市区的二氧化氮（NO₂）、二氧化硫（SO₂）和臭氧（O₃）水平的时空变化。这段时间涵盖了COVID-19大流行的封锁前、封锁后和封锁后阶段，提供了对不同人类活动水平的污染物行为的见解。研究结果显示，污染物水平存在显著的空间差异，与城市发展和当地天气模式有关，智利圣地亚哥多次出现最高的NO₂和SO₂浓度，而基多则表现出最低的水平。封锁通常导致NO₂浓度下降，但它们对SO₂和O₃水平的影响是不一致的，这突出了污染物相互作用的复杂性。这项研究证实，卫星数据可以作为传统监测的一种负担得起的补充，特别是在资源有限的地区。这些结果强调了定制的、以城市为导向的战略的必要性，以减少城市空气污染和保障公众健康。

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来源期刊

Air Quality Atmosphere and Health ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES-

CiteScore

8.80

自引率

2.00%

发文量

146

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Air Quality, Atmosphere, and Health is a multidisciplinary journal which, by its very name, illustrates the broad range of work it publishes and which focuses on atmospheric consequences of human activities and their implications for human and ecological health. It offers research papers, critical literature reviews and commentaries, as well as special issues devoted to topical subjects or themes. International in scope, the journal presents papers that inform and stimulate a global readership, as the topic addressed are global in their import. Consequently, we do not encourage submission of papers involving local data that relate to local problems. Unless they demonstrate wide applicability, these are better submitted to national or regional journals. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health addresses such topics as acid precipitation; airborne particulate matter; air quality monitoring and management; exposure assessment; risk assessment; indoor air quality; atmospheric chemistry; atmospheric modeling and prediction; air pollution climatology; climate change and air quality; air pollution measurement; atmospheric impact assessment; forest-fire emissions; atmospheric science; greenhouse gases; health and ecological effects; clean air technology; regional and global change and satellite measurements. This journal benefits a diverse audience of researchers, public health officials and policy makers addressing problems that call for solutions based in evidence from atmospheric and exposure assessment scientists, epidemiologists, and risk assessors. Publication in the journal affords the opportunity to reach beyond defined disciplinary niches to this broader readership.