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The Effect of Lockdown Period during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Sydney Region, Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Hiep Duc

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia
    Environmental Quality, Atmospheric Science and Climate Change Research Group, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
    Faculty of Environment and Labor Safety, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam)

  • David Salter

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Merched Azzi

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Ningbo Jiang

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Loredana Warren

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Sean Watt

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Matthew Riley

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Stephen White

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Toan Trieu

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Lisa Tzu-Chi Chang

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Xavier Barthelemy

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • David Fuchs

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia)

  • Huynh Nguyen

    (Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, P.O. Box 29, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia
    Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia)

Abstract

In early 2020 from April to early June, the metropolitan area of Sydney as well as the rest of New South Wales (NSW, Australia) experienced a period of lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus in the community. The effect of reducing anthropogenic activities including transportation had an impact on the urban environment in terms of air quality which is shown to have improved for a number of pollutants, such as Nitrogen Dioxides (NO 2 ) and Carbon Monoxide (CO), based on monitoring data on the ground and from a satellite. In addition to primary pollutants CO and NO x emitted from mobile sources, PM 2.5 (primary and secondary) and secondary Ozone (O 3 ) during the lockdown period will also be analyzed using both statistical methods on air quality data and the modelling method with emission and meteorological data input to an air quality model. By estimating the decrease in traffic volume in the Sydney region, the corresponding decrease in emission input to the Weather Research and Forecasting—Community Multiscale Air Quality Modelling System (WRF-CMAQ) air quality model is then used to estimate the effect of lockdown on the air quality especially CO, NO 2 , O 3 , and PM 2.5 in the Greater Metropolitan Region (GMR) of Sydney. The results from both statistical and modelling methods show that NO 2 , CO, and PM 2.5 levels decreased during the lockdown, but O 3 instead increased. However, the change in the concentration levels are small considering the large reduction of ~30% in traffic volume.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiep Duc & David Salter & Merched Azzi & Ningbo Jiang & Loredana Warren & Sean Watt & Matthew Riley & Stephen White & Toan Trieu & Lisa Tzu-Chi Chang & Xavier Barthelemy & David Fuchs & Huynh Nguyen, 2021. "The Effect of Lockdown Period during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Sydney Region, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-32, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3528-:d:525924
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wen Ming & Zhengqing Zhou & Hongshan Ai & Huimin Bi & Yuan Zhong, 2020. "COVID-19 and Air Quality: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(10), pages 2422-2442, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiang Zhu & Xiang Li & Huiming Huang & Xiangdong Yin & Jiangchun Yao & Tao Liu & Jiexuan Wu & Zhangcheng Chen, 2023. "Spatiotemporal Evolution of Carbon Emissions According to Major Function-Oriented Zones: A Case Study of Guangdong Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-20, January.

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