The Heavy Particulate Matter Pollution During the COVID-19 Lockdown Period in the Guanzhong Basin, China.

ABSTRACT: Nationwide restrictions on human activities (lockdown) in China since 23 January 2020, to control the 2019 novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), has provided an opportunity to evaluate the effect of emission mitigation on particulate matter (PM) pollution. The WRF-Chem simulations of persistent heavy PM pollution episodes from 20 January to 14 February 2020, in the Guanzhong Basin (GZB), northwest China, reveal that large-scale emission reduction of primary pollutants has not substantially improved the air quality during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Simultaneous reduction of primary precursors during the lockdown period only decreases the near-surface PM_2.5 mass concentration by 11.6% (12.6 μg m^-3), but increases ozone (O₃) concentration by 9.2% (

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9111303 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature