CHANGES IN FOSSIL CO₂ EMISSIONS IN MEXICO CITY DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN DEDUCED FROM ATMOSPHERIC RADIOCARBON CONCENTRATIONS

Abstract

We present atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations in CO2 integrated samples taken between January 2019 and December 2021 in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and explain the variations in terms of changes in emission sources associated with the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed from March 2020. Δ14C values for samples collected during 2019 range between –44.15‰ and –13.17‰, with lower values during months with higher fossil fuels consumption and air stagnation, whereas higher values were found for periods with high number of fires around MCMA or wet months with higher contribution of heterotrophic respiration. For samples collected during 2020, Δ14C values range between –17.7‰ and 2.25‰, with an increasing trend immediately after the initial lockdown and higher values obtained for samples collected during lockdown phases 2 and 3 and the period of extremely high epidemic risk. This agrees with the 38% and 52% decrease in gasoline and diesel sales. Once essential activities gradually opened from July 2020, Δ14C follow a decreasing trend as vehicle traffic started to increase again. Δ14C values for samples collected during 2021 range from –32.89‰ to –10.27‰, with the higher value obtained during a period of extremely high epidemic risk with a 30% reduction in gasoline and diesel consumption. Despite the complexity of emission sources in MCMA, from Δ14C variations it was possible to identify changes in fossil CO2 emissions resulting from the significant reduction in vehicle traffic due to the COVID-19 lockdown and the restrictions imposed to control transmission of the disease.