Effect of restricted emissions during COVID-19 on atmospheric aerosol chemistry in a Greater Cairo suburb: Characterization and enhancement of secondary inorganic aerosol production.

ABSTRACT: To prevent the rapid spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Egyptian government had imposed partial lockdown restrictions which led emissions reduction. This served as ideal conditions for a natural experiment, for study the effect of partial lockdown on the atmospheric aerosol chemistry and the enhanced secondary inorganic aerosol production in a semi-desert climate area like Egypt. To achieve this objective, SO₂, NO₂, and PM_2.5 and their chemical compositions were measured during the pre-COVID, COVID partial lockdown, and post-COVID periods in 2020 in a suburb of Greater Cairo, Egypt. Our results show that the SO₂, NO₂, PM_2.5 and anthropogenic elements concentrations follow the pattern pre-COVID > post-COVID > COVID parti

SUBMITTER: Hassan SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9627639 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature