Abstract
Background: The Tamil Nadu Air Pollution and Health Effects follow-up study, known as TAPHE-2, is evaluating the relationship between air pollution and birth outcomes in a rural-urban cohort of 300 pregnant mothers. Due to COVID-19 related lockdowns, TAPHE-2 work has been delayed; however, continuous indoor and outdoor air monitoring data are available prior to and during the COVID-19 lockdown in and around Chennai, India.Methods: Indoor concentrations of PM2.5 are being measured in peri-urban Chennai, India, using Atmos, a relatively low-cost, real-time PM2.5 monitor developed in India. Continuous indoor measurements are validated and calibrated by periodic collocation with gravimetric samplers. Additionally, we looked at public air quality data from Indian authorities. The combined dataset provides semi-continuous indoor and outdoor measurements before and during the lockdown.Results: In six households, data exists on average for 11.6 days (SD 9.4) pre-lockdown, and for 37 days (SD 0) during the lockdown. During these periods, the mean uncorrected real-time PM2.5 concentrations are 36 µg/m3 (SD 40) and 24 µg/m3 (SD 18), respectively. Self-reported time activity patterns - verified by changes in PM concentrations measured by the Atmos - are different, with notable changes in indoor concentrations. Ambient concentrations prior to and during the lockdown, as reported by Indian regulatory monitors in Chennai, are 38 µg/m3 (SD 25) and 20 µg/m3 (SD 27), respectively. There is a reasonable correlation between indoor Atmos measurements and gravimetric measurements (R2 = 0.84).Conclusions: We took advantage of ongoing measurements to evaluate the impact of the COVID19-related lockdown on indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations. We note changes in time-activity patterns and indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 across Chennai. Raw data from the Atmos monitor has a reasonably good correlation with gravimetric measures, indicating its potential suitability for studies of both indoor and outdoor PM concentrations.
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