Air Quality Atmosphere and Health最新文献

The summer season has a high influence on the aerosol load of Turkey. Atmospheric parameters produce a radiative climatic response when exposed to aerosols from multiple sources. The main aim of this research is to observe the spatio-temporal characteristics of aerosol optical depth (AOD) with atmospheric and surface covariates during the summer of 2003–2016 in Turkey. The AOD products for this study were retrieved at level 3 from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) on a daily timescale. Prevailing meteorological parameters such as precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, surface soil moisture, and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were used on a daily and monthly timescale. The spatio-temporal distribution of aerosols and meteorological parameters were plotted and analyzed from which each variable exhibited a unique spatial distribution. The Mann–Kendall (MK) trend test was used to analyze the increasing and decreasing trends of AOD throughout the years. MODIS AOD had an increasing trend in the eastern, northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northern regions of Turkey whereas a significant decreasing trend was observed in the northwestern regions. MISR AOD had a strong significantly increasing trend in the eastern, northeastern, southern, and central regions whereas the western, northern, and central regions of Turkey expanded under a decreasing trend. Furthermore, correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between AOD and the prevailing covariates from which the correlation between EVI and AOD was extremely variable in both datasets. Wavelet analysis (both continuous and coherence) was performed to analyze the periodic nature of AOD and meteorological parameters. Both MODIS and MISR exhibited significant coherencies in the 16–256 periodic for all covariates except for EVI which was plotted on a monthly time scale. In this study, a notable variation was observed in the space–time dynamics between MODIS and MISR datasets which can be used for future studies that attempt to analyze the relationship between AOD and covariates during the summer season.

Among non-exhaust emissions, road dust resuspension represents a rather important contribution to particulate matter in urban areas. This study aimed to achieve a chemical characterisation of road dust particulate matter (PM₁₀) on two motorway sections, one rural and one urban, and to explore the related health and ecotoxicological risks. Measured PM₁₀ dust loadings reached very low levels (0.66–1.49 mg m^-2) compared to equivalent studies in other road environments in Portugal and other countries. Emission factors ranged from 33 to 62 mg veh⁻¹ km⁻¹. The carbonaceous content represented 14% of the total PM₁₀ mass, whereas the highest contribution to the mass was given by mineral matter. Elements such as Si, Al, Ca, Fe and K accounted for almost three quarters of the total element mass for all samples, whilst Cu and Zn, mostly associated with brake and tyre wear, were the most enriched elements in relation to the soil composition. Nonetheless, Ti and Zr presented the highest non-carcinogenic risks for human health. Despite the low amounts of particulate matter in the aqueous solution, the ecotoxicological screening with the Aliivibrio fisheri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay allowed to classify the samples as toxic.

This study analyzed the trends in change and influencing factors based on particulate matter data from subway stations in 2019 and 2021 (before and during COVID-19). The measurements were based on subway stations on the Seoul Metro from lines 1 to 9. To confirm the changes in particulate matter concentrations before and after COVID-19, the trends of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in subway stations in 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. A correlation analysis was subsequently performed for a comparison of the factors influencing changes in the particulate matter concentrations. Overall, both PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations decreased during the outbreak compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak, with rates of 20.7% and 22.8%, respectively. In conclusion, the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in the Seoul Metro subway stations during COVID-19 were reduced. The reduction in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, during the COVID-19 period, was the result of government policies such as telecommuting recommendations, subway congestion forecasting systems, and increased ventilation.

Aerosols absorption contributes significantly to the total radiative effects of aerosols and so an important component of radiative forcing estimates. Therefore, this study explores the spatiotemporal distribution of ultraviolet aerosol index (UVAI), future trends, potential sources of absorbing aerosols and their relationship with temperature, wind speed, precipitation and total ozone column using Ozone Monitoring Instrument retrieved UVAI and HYSPLIT model over South Asia during October 2004 to March 2022. The mean UVAI within the ranges of 0.56–1.62 are observed over Eastern and Southern Pakistan and Northern India associated with dust and biomass burning aerosols. The interannual variations in UVAI show that the values of UVAI increases from 1.73 to 3.11 during 2018–2021 over the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Contrary to this, UVAI < 0 is observed along the Karakorum and Himalaya range during 2005–2021 indicating presence of non-absorbing aerosols. The interaannual variations in UVAI reveal highest UVAI of 0.64 in December followed by 0.51 in July over South Asia. Seasonally, UVAI shows increasing trend at the rate of 0.9064 DJF⁻¹, 0.3810 JJA⁻¹, 0.2707 SON⁻¹ and 0.0774 MAM⁻¹ over South Asia. A positive correlation of 0.56 is observed between UVAI and wind speed followed by over Southern Pakistan followed 0.43 between UVAI and total ozone column Southern Pakistan and India. The UVAI shows increasing trend at the rate of 0.1409, 0.1124, 0.1224, 0.1015, 0.1242 and 0.2054 per year over Lahore, Karachi, Kanpur, New-Delhi, Varanasi, and Dhaka with maximum UVAI of 5.55, 4.47, 4.51, 4.99, 4.61 and 4.65 respectively during the study period. The anthropogenic productivity analysis reveals that primary industry and secondary industry contributes in lowering UVAI values whereas tertiary industry, energy consumption and gross domestic products increase aerosols loading in South Asia. Moreover, HYSPLIT cluster analysis further reveals the localized and trans-boundary sources of absorbing aerosols over the selected cities.

Environmental policy stringency (EPS) is widely adopted as the most practical option to tackle the menace of environmental degradation. Therefore, this study investigates the dynamic linkage between EPS and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the most polluted countries of the Asia Pacific Region for the period 1991–2021. For empirical analysis, we have relied on nonlinear panel ARDL methods. In the NARDL analysis, a positive shock in EPS has a significant negative effect on CO₂, while a negative shock in EPS has a significant positive impact on CO₂ in both the short and long run. Moreover, the growth of human capital and the rise in renewable energy consumption are crucial in improving environmental quality; however, the rise in the region’s economic prosperity makes the region more polluted in the long run. In light of these findings, our study emphasizes the critical role of policymakers in the Asia Pacific region in implementing and maintaining strict environmental policies to effectively control carbon emissions. These policies can complement other mitigation strategies, such as raising environmental awareness and promoting renewable energy consumption.

The air we breathe both indoors and in the external environment significantly affects human health and life. The legal systems across the globe, including the United Nations programs, have taken measures to protect the right to clean air as a basic human right. Urbanization and modern lifestyles have changed the dynamics of need and usage of products and allied activities. However, the scope of this study is focused on the investigation of indoor air quality (IAQ). This study is perhaps the first ever attempt to investigate the indoor air pollutant in different environmental setup based on building code specially for nonindustrial indoor environments, i.e., office buildings, public buildings (schools, hospitals, theatres, restaurants), and private dwellings in Dehradun, India. Air pollutants measured in this study include particulate matter (PM10), carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde (HCHO). In order to identify the exposure level of indoor air pollutants on human health, chronic daily intake has been calculated. In residential building occupancies, the concentration of particulates is higher in indoor air, and the key sources are kitchen activities such as the operation of gas stoves for cooking. In educational buildings, significant pollutants present are CO₂, formaldehyde, and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM), predominantly due to characteristic available ventilation systems. Compared to other indoor occupancies, institutional buildings related to health science have significant sources of indoor pollutants generated from biomedical waste, medical equipment, and instruments.

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