Aspects of the effect of confinement measures imposed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic on outdoor air quality

Abstract

Record levels of air pollution, leading to environmental degradation, deteriorating health and climate change, are affecting cities around the world. However, due to the confinement measures imposed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, reductions in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations - one of the main traffic pollutants - have been reported in many cities in Europe and around the world: by over 50% in Barcelona as of March 21, 2020, 64% in other cities in Spain, about 40% in London or about 50% of carbon monoxide (CO) levels in New York. In this context, the paper presents the results of monitoring NO2 concentrations within the INCERC Bucharest Branch, located in the eastern part of Bucharest, the capital of Romania.

Keywords

• outdoor air
• covid-19 pandemic
• nitrogen dioxide
• health