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Impact of lockdown on particulate matter concentrations in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Colombia was reported on March 6, 2020. For this reason, on March 25, preventive isolation was declared mandatory. These measures involved the suspension of economic activities and drastically reduced the number of vehicles on the road. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on PM_2.5 concentrations at 5 monitoring stations and aerosol optical depth values of the Terra/MODIS satellite. We analyzed and compared the weekly and monthly concentrations of PM_2.5 before and during the lockdown between the week of January 6 to June 22, 2020, and compared the daily values obtained from the Terra/MODIS satellite for the months of January-June during the years 2018-2020 to elucidate the effects of the lockdown. Similar to other monitored sites in the world, we observed substantial reductions in weekly PM_2.5 concentrations, from 41 to 84% (Bogotá), from 13 to 66% (Funza), from 17 to 57% (Boyacá), from 35 to 86% (Valledupar) and 31 at 60% (Risaralda). Unlike other studies, the aerosol optical depth values increased up to 59% during the months of lockdown compared to previous years and up to 70% of the weekly mean when compared to before the lockdown. These spatiotemporal behaviors of PM_2.5 and the aerosol optical depth in Colombia are influenced by reductions in vehicular flow during quarantine, regional rainfall, and height of the planetary boundary layer. Emissions from economic activities affect pollutant levels in the area. The analysis of the levels of pollutants during the lockdown provides a baseline for regulatory agencies to establish mitigation plans.

SUBMITTER: Arregoces HA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7546997 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, containment measures were applied inducing potential changes in air pollutant concentrations and thus in air toxicity. This study evaluates the role of restrictions on biological effects of particulate matter (PM) in different Northwest Italy sites: urban background, urban traffic, rural, and incinerator. Daily PM samples collected in 2020 were pooled according to restrictions: January/February (no restrictions), March and April (first lockdown), May/June and July/August/September (low restrictions), October/November/December (second lockdown). The 2019 samples (pre-pandemic period) were pooled as 2020 for comparison. Pools were extracted with organic solvents and extracts were tested to assess cytotoxicity (WST-1 assay) and genotoxicity (comet assay) on BEAS-2B cells, mutagenicity (Ames test) on TA98 and TA100 Salmonella typhimurium strains, and estrogenic activity (gene reporter assay) on MELN cells. Pollutant concentrations were also analyzed (PM10, PM2.5, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). No difference was observed for PM and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations between 2020 and 2019. During lockdown months (2020), PM cytotoxicity/genotoxicity was significantly lower in some sites than during 2019, while considering PM mutagenicity/estrogenic activity some differences were detected but without statistical significance. PM extract effects decreased in some sites during 2020; this may be due to lockdowns that reduced/modified pollutant emissions and may be related also to complex PM origin/formation and to meteorological conditions. In conclusion, the study confirms that PM biological effects cannot be assessed considering only the PM concentration and suggests to include a battery of bioassay for air quality monitoring in order to protect human health from air pollution effects. Graphical Abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11869-023-01381-6.

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Impact of lockdown on particulate matter concentrations in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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