Simulating PM_2.5 Concentrations during New Year in Cuenca, Ecuador: Effects of Advancing the Time of Burning Activities.

ABSTRACT: Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is dangerous to human health. At midnight on 31 December, in Ecuadorian cities, people burn puppets and fireworks, emitting high amounts of PM_2.5. On 1 January 2022, concentrations between 27.3 and 40.6 µg m^-3 (maximum mean over 24 h) were measured in Cuenca, an Andean city located in southern Ecuador; these are higher than 15 µg m^-3, the current World Health Organization guideline. We estimated the corresponding PM_2.5 emissions and used them as an input to the Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF-Chem 3.2) model to simulate the change in PM_2.5 concentrations, assuming these emissions started at 18:00 LT or 21:00 LT on 31 December 2021. On average, PM_2.5 concentratio

SUBMITTER: Parra R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9144387 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature