Abstract
The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 has affected many countries and regions. In order to contain the spread of infection, many countries have adopted lockdown measures. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 has negatively influenced economies on a global scale and has caused a significant impact on the environment. In this study, changes in the concentration of the pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) within the lockdown period were examined as well as how these changes relate to the Spanish population. NO2 is one of the reactive nitrogen oxides gases resulting from both anthropogenic and natural processes. One major source in urban areas is the combustion of fossil fuels from vehicles and industrial plants, both of which significantly contribute to air pollution. The long-term exposure to NO2 can also cause severe health problems. Remote sensing is a useful tool to analyze spatial variability of air quality. For this purpose, Sentinel-5P images registered from January to April of 2019 and 2020 were used to analyze spatial distribution of NO2 and its evolution under the lockdown measures in Spain. The results indicate a significant correlation between the population’s activity level and the reduction of NO2 values.
Highlights
Clean air is an essential requirement for human health, and as such air pollution is a major threat to human well-being
Data from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on-board the Sentinel-5P satellite platform were used to analyze the spatial-temporal variation in Spain and its relationship with population size and lockdown measures
The satellite scenes showed a high concentration of NO2 in the city of Madrid, which has the largest number of inhabitants in Spain
Summary
Clean air is an essential requirement for human health, and as such air pollution is a major threat to human well-being. The traditional instrumentation used for air quality monitoring is expensive, large, location dependent and yields extremely low spatial and temporal resolution [28] For this reason, portable environmental sensor systems have been developed using Wireless Sensor Network technology at a lower cost, offering data with a higher frequency over time. Portable environmental sensor systems have been developed using Wireless Sensor Network technology at a lower cost, offering data with a higher frequency over time They are easier to relocate and provide better coverage of the area of interest due to allowing the use of a larger number of nodes [29,30], permitting the development of more efficient and accurate air quality models [31].
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