State of air pollutants and related health risk over Haryana India as viewed from satellite platform in COVID-19 lockdown scenario

Abstract

COVID-19 driven lockdown has affected air quality worldwide. Changes in air pollutants concentration, Air Quality Index (AQI), and associated Excess Health Risk (ER%) were assessed using satellite data of before (2019), and during (2020) COVID-19 periods in the industrially, agriculturally developed and highly populated area of Haryana in the northern region of Indo-Gangetic Plains. Parameters such as Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Particulate matters (PM), Sulphur Di-Oxide (SO 2 ), Nitrogen Di-Oxide (NO 2 ), Carbon Mono-oxide (CO), and Methane (CH 4 ) were derived using satellite data and validated using ground-based observations (n = 23). The coefficient of correlation (r) 0.91, 0.90, 0.95, 0.73, 0.81 and 0.80 were established with AOD, PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 , NO 2 and CO, respectively. Significant reduction (p \ 0.005) in the concentration of air pollutants, viz. 38% in AOD, 55% in PM 2.5 , 61% in PM 10 , 31% in SO 2 , 10% in NO 2 , 5% in CO and 1% in CH 4 were observed during lockdown. Significant (p \ 0.00) improvement in air quality was observed due to a 44% reduction in pollution level, which led to the reduction in ER% by 71%, which is quite significant. AQI and ER% from satellite and ground showed a high r 2 i.e. 0.88 and 0.99 respectively, suggesting the potential application of satellite data for periodic AQI and ER% assessment.

Geospatial View of Air Pollution and Health Risk Over North Indian Region in COVID-19 Scenario

“…Kant et al, ( 2020 ) and Singh and Nanda ( 2020 ) reported reduction (35–46%) in AOD over Northern India and Haryana state, respectively. Singh and Nanda et al 2021c reported reduction in air pollutants over Haryana amid COVID-19 lockdown which resulted in the improvement of air quality index (44%) and excess health risk (71%) over the study area.…”

“…The changes in the pattern and magnitude of anthropogenic activities amid COVID-19 lockdown have clear impact on air quality and recent pandemic, i.e. COVID-19 has shown the glimpses for the same (Bao & Zhang, 2020 ; Bhawre, 2020 ; Dantas et al, 2020 ; Filonchyk et al, 2020 ; Kant et al, 2020 ; Lal et al, 2020 ; Nakada & Urban, 2020 ; Otmani et al, 2020 ; Pathakoti et al, 2020 ; Ranjan et al, 2020 ; Sharma et al, 2020 ; Siddiqui et al, 2020 ; Singh & Nanda et al, 2021c ; Srivastava et al, 2020 ; Sur et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Corona Virus causes respiratory illness such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (WHO, 2020 ). This has modified the anthropogenic activities across the world in terms of reduced human movement, reduced vehicle emissions and reduction in industrial activities which showed reduced level (ranging from 10 to 50%) of air pollution/pollutants across the Globe (Lal et al, 2020 ; Mahato et al, 2020 ; Muhammad et al, 2020 ; Sharma et al, 2020 ; Siddiqui et al, 2020 ; Singh & Nanda et al, 2021c ; Srivastava et al, 2020 ; Tobías et al, 2020 ). In China human activity reduced by 69.85% in 44 cities and which mediated Air Quality Index (AQI), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5 ), Carbon Monoxide (CO) partially and Particulate Matter 10 (PM 10 ), Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) completely (Bao & Zhang, 2020 ).…”

“…were allowed during lockdown (Sharma, 2020 ). The lockdown has significantly reduced the transportation, mobility, and industrial operations which resulted in to the reduced level of air pollutants and improvement in the air quality (Sharma et al, 2020 ; Siddiqui et al, 2020 ; Singh & Nanda et al, 2021c ; Srivastava et al, 2020 ; Sur et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Lots of research has been done on the assessment of effect of lockdown on air quality in India based on ground data and satellite data (Dhaka et al, 2020 ; Kant et al, 2020 ; Lal et al, 2020 ; Mahato et al, 2020 ; Navinya et al, 2020 ; Pathakoti et al, 2020 ; Ranjan et al, 2020 ; Sharma et al, 2020 ; Siddiqui et al, 2020 ; Singh & Nanda et al, 2021c ; Srivastava et al, 2020 ). In Lucknow and New Delhi major impacts of lockdown were observed on the concentration of PM 2.5 , NO 2 , and CO and less on the SO 2 (Srivastava et al, 2020 ).…”