Ambient air quality in Upper Silesia region pre-during, and post-COVID-19 periods

• Autorzy: Brągoszewska Ewa , Mainka Anna , Biedroń Izabela

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/acee-2023-0057

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Governments worldwide have established lockdowns to limit the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The restrictions on travel and reduction of economic activity have led to a temporary improvement in air quality in several countries, especially in urban areas. This study investigates the changes in concentration levels of air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and bacterial aerosol) in the Upper Silesia Region of Southern Poland, during three periods: pre (March 2018 and 2019), during (March 2020, and 2021) and post-COVID-19 lockdown period (March 2022 and 2023). Our findings indicate that COVID-19 restrictions had a moderate impact on PM10 levels in comparison to pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. PM2.5 during lockdown was significantly lower than in the pre-COVID period and not significantly higher after COVID. PM10 and PM2.5 average concentrations decreased during COVID-19 restrictions by 27.8% and 12.7%, respectively. Compared with the results from the pre-COVID-19 phase, the reductions in NO2 and SO2 during the lockdown were 9.5% and 34.0%. Among other pollutants, bacterial aerosol (BA) concentrations also decreased during the lockdown by 23.0%, compared to the results from the pre-COVID-19 period.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

air quality; COVID-19; PM; NO; SO; bacterial aerosol

PL

jakość powietrza; COVID-19; PM; NO; SO; aerozol bakteryjny

• Wydawca: Silesian University of Technology
• Czasopismo: Architecture Civil Engineering Environment
• Rocznik: 2023
• Tom: Vol. 16, no. 4
• Strony: 135--148
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 53 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Brągoszewska Ewa

• Associate Prof., DSc; ; Department of Technologies and Installations for Waste Management, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 18 Konarskiego St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

autor

Mainka Anna

• Associate Prof., DSc Eng.; Department of Air Protection, Silesian University of Technology, 22B Konarskiego St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

autor

Biedroń Izabela

• PhD; Faculty of Science, Universität Bern, Hochschulstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

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