Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants
Abstract Lockdown measures have been adopted in many countries worldwide due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Thailand. Air quality improvements with regard to restrictions of daily movement among Bangkok people have been reported. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 ou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200662 |
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| author | Parichat Wetchayont Tadahiro Hayasaka Pradeep Khatri |
| author_facet | Parichat Wetchayont Tadahiro Hayasaka Pradeep Khatri |
| author_sort | Parichat Wetchayont |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Lockdown measures have been adopted in many countries worldwide due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Thailand. Air quality improvements with regard to restrictions of daily movement among Bangkok people have been reported. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and long-range pollution on air quality in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand by using ground-based and satellite measurements such as MODIS and TROPOMI data. Moreover, the results project some possible future trends of air quality in Bangkok Metropolitan. The 24-hr average concentrations of PM2.5, O3, NO2, CO and SO2 were compared between the periods of Normal, Lockdown and New Normal. PM2.5 concentrations increased by 20.56% during the Normal period and decreased by −15.79% and −23.34% during the Lockdown and New Normal periods, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2017–2019. There were also significant decreasing trends in O3: −7.13% and 4.72%; and CO: −8.01% and 23.59% during the Lockdown and New Normal periods, respectively, while NO2 and SO2 concentrations showed increasing trends during the three periods. The MODIS and TROPOMI data analyses indicate the COVID-19 outbreak has had significant positive impact on surface pollution, but no impact on upper atmospheric pollution due to added pollution from long-range transport. The results also demonstrate that surface air pollution had a combination effect from biomass burning, traffic, industrial and household sources during the Lockdown period, except for SO2 concentrations, which were attributed to long-range transport pollution loading. In some cases, a negative impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air pollution can be observed due to certain activities increasing within Bangkok Metropolitan. Additionally, the results also show that changing the lifestyle into a “new normal” for people in Bangkok after the Lockdown period has had a positive effect on air pollution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ce8ed49bc2b146388fb16687b73df297 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-ce8ed49bc2b146388fb16687b73df2972025-02-09T12:20:19ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092021-03-0121711610.4209/aaqr.200662Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air PollutantsParichat Wetchayont0Tadahiro Hayasaka1Pradeep Khatri2Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Science, Srinakharinwirot UniversityCenter for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku UniversityCenter for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku UniversityAbstract Lockdown measures have been adopted in many countries worldwide due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Thailand. Air quality improvements with regard to restrictions of daily movement among Bangkok people have been reported. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and long-range pollution on air quality in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand by using ground-based and satellite measurements such as MODIS and TROPOMI data. Moreover, the results project some possible future trends of air quality in Bangkok Metropolitan. The 24-hr average concentrations of PM2.5, O3, NO2, CO and SO2 were compared between the periods of Normal, Lockdown and New Normal. PM2.5 concentrations increased by 20.56% during the Normal period and decreased by −15.79% and −23.34% during the Lockdown and New Normal periods, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2017–2019. There were also significant decreasing trends in O3: −7.13% and 4.72%; and CO: −8.01% and 23.59% during the Lockdown and New Normal periods, respectively, while NO2 and SO2 concentrations showed increasing trends during the three periods. The MODIS and TROPOMI data analyses indicate the COVID-19 outbreak has had significant positive impact on surface pollution, but no impact on upper atmospheric pollution due to added pollution from long-range transport. The results also demonstrate that surface air pollution had a combination effect from biomass burning, traffic, industrial and household sources during the Lockdown period, except for SO2 concentrations, which were attributed to long-range transport pollution loading. In some cases, a negative impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air pollution can be observed due to certain activities increasing within Bangkok Metropolitan. Additionally, the results also show that changing the lifestyle into a “new normal” for people in Bangkok after the Lockdown period has had a positive effect on air pollution.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200662COVID-19PollutionLong-range air pollutionPM2.5BangkokThailand |
| spellingShingle | Parichat Wetchayont Tadahiro Hayasaka Pradeep Khatri Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants Aerosol and Air Quality Research COVID-19 Pollution Long-range air pollution PM2.5 Bangkok Thailand |
| title | Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants |
| title_full | Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants |
| title_fullStr | Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants |
| title_short | Air Quality Improvement during COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand: Effect of the Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants |
| title_sort | air quality improvement during covid 19 lockdown in bangkok metropolitan thailand effect of the long range transport of air pollutants |
| topic | COVID-19 Pollution Long-range air pollution PM2.5 Bangkok Thailand |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200662 |
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