Spatiotemporal Variation of Air Quality (PM and NO₂) in Southern Paris during COVID-19 Lockdown Periods

Abstract

In urban areas, road transportation is the main source of pollutants, and weather impacts spatiotemporal variation of air quality. In this paper, we demonstrate the spatiotemporal variabilities of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and NO2 in the south of Paris, with an emphasis on the comparison of air pollutant levels between COVID-19 lockdown and non-lockdown days according to meteorological conditions. The influence of COVID-19 lockdowns could be region-specific. Thus, it is worthwhile to conduct investigations across different regions and via different methodologies. This manuscript contains data that could be relied upon to evaluate available options for mitigation of urban air pollution. Using Airparif data and mobile survey data collected by Aeroqual 500 sensors, this study confirms that road traffic seems to be the determining factor of air quality in the southern part of Paris. The daily average concentrations of NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 calculated in 2020 show a strong spatiotemporal variability explained by the type of weather on the one hand and by the proximity of emission sources on the other hand. Mobile surveys show that during lockdowns in 2020, when the weather was stable, in 13th arrondissement of Paris, NO2 values exceeded 250 µg/m3 with PM10 values over 70 µg/m3, mainly in three locations: the area between Rue Tolbiac and Rue Nationale, along Rue de Chevaleret, and on Boulevard Périphérique.

Keywords

• Paris
• atmospheric pollution
• weather
• lockdowns
• mobile survey