Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on PM concentrations in an Italian Northern City: A year-by-year assessment.

ABSTRACT: In the last century, the increase in traffic, human activities and industrial production have led to a diffuse presence of air pollution, which causes an increase of risk of several health conditions such as respiratory diseases. In Europe, air pollution is a serious concern that affects several areas, one of the worst ones being northern Italy, and in particular the Po Valley, an area characterized by low air quality due to a combination of high population density, industrial activity, geographical factors and weather conditions. Public health authorities and local administrations are aware of this problem, and periodically intervene with temporary traffic limitations and other regulations, often insufficient to solve the problem. In February 2020, this area was the first in Europe to be

SUBMITTER: Pala D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8959169 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature