In-Depth Analysis of Ambient Air Pollution Changes Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Asian Monsoon Region

• Main Authors: Latif, Mohd Talib, Purhanudin, Noorain, Afandi, Nur Zulaikha Mohd, Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L, Halim, Nor Diana Abdul, Hawari, Nor Syamimi Sufiera Limi, Hien, To Thi, Hlaing, Ohnmar May Tin, Jansz, Warnakulasuriya Roshani Loreta Hiranthi, Khokhar, Muhammad Fahim, Lestari, Puji, Lung, Shih Chun Candice, Naja, Manish, Oanh, Nguyen Thi Kim, Othman, Murnira, Salam, Abdus, Salim, Pauziyah Mohammad, Song, Chang Keun, Fujinawa, Tamaki, Tanimoto, Hiroshi, Yu, Liya E., Crawford, James H.
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2024
• Subjects: Air pollutants; Asian Monsoon region; COVID-19; Mobility; Atmospheric Sciences; Environmental Sciences; Life Sciences; Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/physics-faculty-pubs/171; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173145
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

The COVID-19 pandemic has given a chance for researchers and policymakers all over the world to study the impact of lockdowns on air quality in each country. This review aims to investigate the impact of the restriction of activities during the lockdowns in the Asian Monsoon region on the main criteria air pollutants. The various types of lockdowns implemented in each country were based on the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concentrations of major air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), reduced significantly in all countries, especially in South Asia (India and Bangladesh), during periods of full lockdown. There were also indications of a significant reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). At the same time, there were indications of increasing trends in surface ozone (O3), presumably due to nonlinear chemistry associated with the reduction of oxides of nitrogens (NOX). The reduction in the concentration of air pollutants can also be seen in satellite images. The results of aerosol optical depth (AOD) values followed the PM concentrations in many cities. A significant reduction of NO2 was recorded by satellite images in almost all cities in the Asian Monsoon region. The major reductions in air pollutants were associated with reductions in mobility. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Taiwan had comparatively positive gross domestic product growth indices in comparison to other Asian Monsoon nations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive outcome suggests that the economy of these nations, particularly in terms of industrial activity, persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the lockdowns implemented during COVID-19 suggest that air quality in the Asian Monsoon region can be improved by the reduction of emissions, especially those due to mobility as an indicator of traffic in major cities.