![]() A boosted regression tree model was built to account for the influence of meteorology on observed levels. They compared that data to the same dates from the previous three years to evaluate changes due to the lockdown. The researchers used hourly data from air quality monitoring stations for levels of PM2.5, NOx and O3, and hourly meteorological and visibility data. ![]() Asia Is Building Coal-Fired Plants To Burn ItĬities in India also have some of the highest O3 levels in the world, which can be formed from a complexity of sources and chemistry, either NOx-limited or volatile organic compounds (VOC)-limited. It is estimated that air pollution exposure, particularly PM2.5, resulted in the death of 1.27 million people in 2017.Īlso Read: COP26 Aims To Banish Coal. To get a clearer picture of potential decreases in air pollution, Mr Crilley and Ms Young focused their study on nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and O3, as well as what was happening meteorologically at multiple locations within two cities in India - Delhi and Hyderabad - during the start of the first lockdown, from March 24 to April 24, 2020.Īir pollution is a known health risk and India has some of the worst air pollution globally resulting in a disproportionally high level of mortality and disease. Our research shows the decline in local emissions had less influence on the decrease in air pollutants than first thought, said York University postdoctoral researcher Leigh Crilley, who led the Faculty of Science research along with York Associate Professor Cora Young and team.Īs the national lockdown in India reduced major urban sources of air pollution, such as traffic, industry and construction, it gave the researchers an opportunity to study the contribution of local sources of air pollutants during normal meteorological conditions. To accurately quantify the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air pollutant levels, meteorology and atmospheric chemistry needs to be considered in addition to emissions. The air looked much cleaner, but that allowed more sunshine to get through, creating conditions for ozone (O3) to increase up to 30 per cent. The researchers found that some air pollutants didn’t drop nearly as much as first thought and even more surprising was that ozone levels increased even as other pollutants decreased. Air pollution results from a complex mix of interactions between emissions, meteorology, such as wind direction and rain, as well as chemistry, but looking only at observational data as many recent studies have done without take meteorology into account, skews the numbers.Īlso Read: Phase Down From Coal As Main Source Of Energy, Invest More In Renewables: ICMR And Lancet Report The research has been published in the ‘Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts Journal’. Ontario: According to a study by the York University, blue skies and an absence of visible smog can be deceiving and hide pollutants that could potentially cause health issues. Cities in India also have some of the highest O3 levels in the world: Study.Air pollution poses risk to people health: Researchers.Lockdown in India reduced major urban sources of air pollution: Study.
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