Effect of transport measures and curfew against COVID-19 spread on air pollution (TSP) in Ecuador’s three most populous cities

Abstract

Although current circumstances pose challenges to foretelling the future consequences of coronavirus spread, we consider environmental load-related researches became more and more important nowadays perhaps as never before. Many experts believe that the increasingly dire public health emergency situation, policy makers and word leaders should make it possible that the COVID-19 outbreak contributes to a transition of sustainable consumption. With the purpose of contributing to rethink the importance of sustainability efforts, here we present total suspended particulates (TSP) results which represent traffic emission caused air pollution in the three most populous cities of Ecuador obtained before, during, and after the: (i) the traffic measures entered into force on state level; (ii) curfew entered into force on state level; (iii) and quarantine entered into force (in Guayaquil, and whole Guayas province). We documented significant decrease in TSP emissions (PM2.5 and PM10) compared to normal traffic operation obtained from some four lanes roads in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca. The most remarkable fall in suspended particulate values (96.47% decrease in PM2.5) compared to emission observed before traffic measures occurred in Cuenca.