Abstract
Despite the societal and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown measures put in place by the Italian government provided an unprecedented opportunity to increase our knowledge of the effect transportation and industry-related emissions have on the air quality in our cities. This study assessed the effect of reduced emissions during the lockdown period, due to COVID-19, on air quality in three Italian cities, Florence, Pisa, and Lucca. For this study, we compared the concentration of particulate matter PM10, PM2.5, NO2, and O3 measured during the lockdown period, with values obtained in the same period of 2019. Our results show no evidence of a direct relationship between the lockdown measures implemented and PM reduction in urban centers, except in areas with heavy traffic. Consistent with recently published studies, we did, however, observe a significant decrease in NO2 concentrations among all the air-monitoring stations for each city in this study. Finally, O3 levels remained unchanged during the lockdown period. Of note, there were slight variations in the meteorological conditions for the same periods of different years. Our results suggest a need for further studies on the impact of vehicular traffic and industrial activities on PM air pollution, including adopting holistic source-control measures for improved air quality in urban environments.
Highlights
Air pollution has been one of Europe’s leading political concerns since the late 1970s
Our results suggest a need for further studies on the impact of vehicular traffic and industrial activities on particulate matter (PM) air pollution, including adopting holistic source-control measures for improved air quality in urban environments
This result is in line with a recent report on outdoor air pollution changes in Scotland during the COVID-19 lockdown, which showed that PM concentrations did not decline, despite reducing vehicular traffic [13]
Summary
Air pollution has been one of Europe’s leading political concerns since the late 1970s. It continues to significantly impact the health of the European population today, in urban areas. In terms of harm to human health, Europe’s most serious pollutants are particulate matter (PM), NO2 , and ground-level O3. Is among the European countries most affected by air pollution, with 58,600 premature deaths attributed to PM2.5 exposure, 14,600 to NO2 exposure, and 3000 to O3 exposure [1]. Meteorological parameters play an important role in determining air-pollution concentrations. PM concentrations decrease with an increase in precipitation rate, wind speed, and temperature [2].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
