The implications of COVID-19 in the ambient environment and psychological conditions

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has posed a huge threat to mankind, deeply endangering healthy states and influencing economic development. COVID-19 has important impacts on the environment as anthropic interventions to nature has been largely reduced after almost all countries implemented partial or complete blockade to curb the spread of the virus. Up to now, a series of studies have focused on the relationship between COVID-19 and the environment from different cities. In this review, we summarized the latest data on the correlation between COVID-19 and environmental changes. As a result, imposing necessary restrictions can help suppress the virus chain while improving air quality in some countries. The significant reduction in NO₂ emission, PM2.5 level and other hazardous factors reflected the promising consequence of the efforts made during the lockdown period. It is, sometimes dark clouds have silver linings. It is worth noting that along with these positive outcomes, secondary pollutants such as ozone, however, remained unchanged or even increased significantly. Additionally, medical wastes and plastics pollutants would be increased substantially. The extensive use of masks in daily life and other medical materials is bound to increase the burden of waste disposal and environmental degradation. For the general public, in addition to the physical lesions caused by SARS-CoV-2, confirmed/suspected cases and even the normal group may suffer from mental problems. Based on those mentioned impacts, the way forward depends largely on our attitude and decision. It is indispensable to assess potential deleterious effects and to take preventive measures in time to respond to the post-pandemic era. In this way, potential silver linings will not become temporary.

Keywords: COVID-19; Environmental pollution; Nitrogen dioxide; Ozone; Particulate matter; Plastic pollution; Psychological trauma; Public health.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Current distribution of COVID-19 in different countries. A. Bubble map of confirmed cases across the world. B. Bubble map of deaths distribution around the world. C. Distribution of confirmed cases and the weekly increased numbers in different areas. D. Distribution of death tolls and the weekly increased numbers in different areas. (Source: World Health Organization, 2020a, World Health Organization, 2020b, World Health Organization, 2020c, World Health Organization, 2020d, World Health Organization, 2020e, World Health Organization, 2020f, Accessed date: 9:33 am CET, 27 December 2020, there have been 78,267,552 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1,737,339 deaths, reported to WHO). https://covid19.who.int

Fig. 2

A & B. NO₂ emissions in China before and after lockdown(NASA, 2020a). The left image A shows the average concentration in Feb 10–25, 2020, while the right image B shows the average concentration measured in Jan 1–20, 2020. C. NO₂ emissions in Wuhan during 2019 and 2020(NASA, 2020a).

Fig. 3

Changes in NO₂ levels in different countries, including China (A-D), Italy (E-H) and the U.S·(I-J). A-D: Source (ESA, 2020e). E-H: Source (ESA, 2020f). I-J: Source (NASA, 2020c).

Fig. 4

NO₂ concentrations over Europe in the last year 2019 and same period of this year, 2020. The top image in the slider shows the average concentration in March-April of 2019, while the bottom image in the slider shows the average concentration measured in March-April of this year. Source (ESA, 2020b).

Fig. 5

A. Seven-day trailing average levels of activity, across a range of industrial indicators in China, in 2020 (red lines) relative to previous years (shades of blue). Each chart is centered on Chinese New Year Eve, with activity shown relative to maximum capacity (relative to the maximum level in the data for NO₂ and Qinhuangdao port). Source: Analysis of data from WIND. B. Coal consumption in China during the COVID-19. Source: (Ghosh, 2020). C. Air quality of 337 cities nationwide in the first quarter of 2020 (Wang and Su, 2020; MEEC, 2020). D. The concentration of major pollutants and the year-on-year change in the first quarter of 2020. Source: (Wang and Su, 2020; MEEC, 2020). (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)

Fig. 6

A & B. NO₂ levels rebound in China after partial relaxation of restrictions(NASA, 2020b). The left image A shows the average concentration in Feb 10–25, 2020, while the right image B shows the average concentration measured in April 20–May 12, 2020. C. NO₂ emissions back to normal in China after restrictions lifted up (NASA, 2020b).

Fig. 7

A. NO₂ emission before and after a lockdown in India. Satellite images of NO₂ levels in Indian atmosphere (ESA, 2020d). B. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) concentration in India from the period March 31 to April 5 in 2016–2020 (NASA, 2020d).

Fig. 8

Collection of various COVID-19 face masks of different types and colors from ocean and terrestrial environment. One of many surgical masks washed up on the beach at the Soko Islands. Some of the many mask found on the beach washed up during the corona virus. Photo credit: OceansAsia.

Fig. 9

Take time to reflect for a cleaner environment.