Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Oct 19;196(11):1079.
doi: 10.1007/s10661-024-13231-8.

Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on air pollution in Ahvaz: a comparative dual-approach assessment of observed against baseline and forecasted criteria air pollutants

Neda Kaydi  1   2 , Elham Maraghi  3 , Zeinab Bahrami  4 , Bamshad Shenavar  5 , Soghra Rostami  5 , Alireza Azarian  6 , Mehdi Mojadam  7 , Faezeh Jahedi  8 , Neemat Jaafarzadeh  9 , Morteza Abdullatif Khafaie  10
Affiliations

Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on air pollution in Ahvaz: a comparative dual-approach assessment of observed against baseline and forecasted criteria air pollutants

Neda Kaydi et al. Environ Monit Assess. .

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Iranian government swiftly implemented immediate and decisive measures to control the spread of the infection. This study aims to demonstrate the impact of restriction measure on air pollution, also to highlight the potential variability in results that can arias from different methodological approach. A comprehensive dual-approach assessment was conducted to evaluate the effect of the lockdown measures on criteria air pollutants. Firstly, a traditional approach compared air quality during the pandemic period with baseline conditions from 2013 to 2019. Secondly, observed air pollution values during different periods with varying restrictions in 2020 were compared with expected values. This comprehensive analysis allows for a robust comparison and quantification of the impact of different lockdown measures in Ahvaz. The study revealed significant changes in air pollutant concentrations in Ahvaz during 2020, with variations observed across different pollutants. Notable reductions were observed in O3 levels, particularly in November (-54.44% compared to the baseline) and December (-63.58% compared to expected values). Decreases in CO levels were observed in multiple months, while substantial reductions in PM10 and PM2.5 were observed during various periods. Inconsistencies in the magnitudes and directions of changes were found when comparing baseline and forecasted values. The overall stringency index showed an inverse association with changes in O3, NO2, and CO, with international travel controls and restrictions on internal movement having significant impacts. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air pollution in Ahvaz, Iran, using a comprehensive dual-approach assessment. The findings highlight the effectiveness of these measures in reducing specific criteria air pollutants and emphasize the importance of implementing appropriate strategies for air quality management during similar public health emergencies.

Keywords: ARMA modeling; Ahvaz; Air pollution; COVID-19 pandemic; Environmental health; Public health.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Barbieri, D. M., Lou, B., Passavanti, M., Hui, C., Lessa, D. A., Maharaj, B., Banerjee, A., Wang, F., Chang, K., Naik, B., Yu, L., Liu, Z., Sikka, G., Tucker, A., Mirhosseini, A. F., Naseri, S., Qiao, Y., Gupta, A., Abbas, M., … Adomako, S. (2020). Survey data regarding perceived air quality in Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa, United States before and during Covid-19 restrictions. Data in Brief, 32, 106169. - DOI
    1. Bherwani, H., Kumar, S., Musugu, K., Nair, M., Gautam, S., Gupta, A., Ho, C. H., Anshul, A., & Kumar, R. (2021). Assessment and valuation of health impacts of fine particulate matter during COVID-19 lockdown: A comprehensive study of tropical and sub tropical countries. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 28, 44522–44537. - DOI
    1. Box, G. E. P., Jenkins, G. M., Reinsel, G. C., & Ljung, G. M. (2015). Time Series Analysis: Forecasting and Control. Wiley.
    1. Broomandi, P., Karaca, F., Nikfal, A., Jahanbakhshi, A., Tamjidi, M., & Kim, J. R. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 event on the air quality in Iran. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 20, 1793–1804. - DOI
    1. Chen, K., Wang, M., Huang, C., Kinney, P. L., & Anastas, P. T. (2020). Air pollution reduction and mortality benefit during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Lancet Planet Health, 4, e210–e212. - DOI