The Impact of COVID-19 Related Changes on Air Quality in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

Diya Jacob,Samuel Stowe,Aakruti Sharma,Iyinoluwa Babarinde,Abigail Christopher,M J Ruzmyn Vilcassim

doi:10.3390/ijerph19063168

Diya Jacob, Samuel Stowe + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063168

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Abstract

Air pollution is responsible for a wide range of health effects in exposed populations. Variations in local air pollution can affect local population health outcomes. The strict regulations imposed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (‘lockdowns’) resulted in a unique situation where human mobility was limited significantly, resulting in improved air quality in several major cities. The main goal of this study was to investigate if lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted air quality in Birmingham, Alabama—a city with a history of high air pollution levels—with a focus on PM2.5 (Particulate Matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm) and NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide). Daily air pollutant and traffic data were obtained for the Birmingham Metropolitan Area for the period January to October 2020, and previous years. Mean PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations and traffic volumes during the official city/state lockdown period (24 March to 30 April 2020) were compared to pre- and post-lockdown means. The mean PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations during the lockdown did not significantly differ from that of the pre- or post-lockdown periods. However, NO2 significantly decreased even after the lockdown order was removed, with the mean decreasing significantly compared to pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. Both PM2.5 and NO2 annual means in 2020 were significantly lower than the annual means in 2019, indicating the occurrence of significant changes over the longer term that were not limited by defined lockdown periods. Traffic significantly increased after the lockdown order was removed but did not correlate with the two pollutants studied. Therefore, we conclude that the Stay at Home/lockdown regulations and other COVID-19 restrictions had an impact on the air quality of Birmingham Alabama; although these lockdown impacts varied for each pollutant and were not limited only by the official lockdown dates/periods.

Highlights

Air pollution is responsible for causing a range of adverse health effects including, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, chronic airway diseases, lung cancer, and increased mortality [1–5]
In 2020, Birmingham experienced a dust storm from 26–28th June, which was considered an outlier for PM2.5 concentration statistics
Our findings primarily demonstrate that pacted compared to the previous year, levels during the official lockdown period mean PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations in Birmingham, AL in 2020 were significantly imin 2020 were not significantly reduced, compared to pre-lockdown levels

Summary

Introduction

Air pollution is responsible for causing a range of adverse health effects including, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, chronic airway diseases, lung cancer, and increased mortality [1–5]. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution related diseases are responsible for over 7 million deaths every year, of which 4.2 million deaths are attributed to outdoor air pollution [5]. The six most common criteria pollutants that are associated with most of these adverse health effects include Particulate Matter, Nitrogen. Particles with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm are harmful as they can penetrate deeper into the lungs, and is important in the study of air pollution related health outcomes. The gaseous pollutants are associated with a range of harmful health effects impacting the respiratory system, mainly as irritants.

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