Assessment of variations of air pollutant concentrations during the COVID-19 lockdown and impact on urban air quality in South Asia

Abstract Quantifying the variations of atmospheric aerosols and trace gas concentrations with the impact of lockdown due to the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is crucial in understanding urban air quality. For this purpose, we utilized the multi-instrumental approach of satellite remote sensing and reanalysis model data to examine the spatial and temporal patterns of major air pollutants during December 2019–June 2020 in South Asia. The lockdown has to lead to a considerable decrease in aerosol optical thickness (AOT) over South China (−18.92%) and Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP; −24.29%) compared to its ordinary level for a couple of weeks. Noticeable reductions in tropospheric NO2 are observed over the Pearl River Delta (PRD; −0.3/cm2) followed by Central China (CC) with −0.21/cm2and IGP (−0.085/cm2), and the lowest (−0.0008/cm2) in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) region. The changes observed in PM2.5 and SO2 levels (from −58.56% to - 63.64%) are attributed to the decrease in anthropogenic emissions, vehicular exhaust, and industrial activities. However, the BC concentrations are reduced by approximately halved of its ordinary levels in the IGP (−2.28 μg/m3) followed by YRD (−1.56 μg/m3), CC (−1.5 μg/m3), NCP (−1.29 μg/m3), and PRD (−0.78 μg/m3) regions. The total column O3 predominantly increased from 262.68 to 285.53DU, 323.00 to 343.00DU, and 245.00 to 265.00DU in the YRD, NCP, and IGP areas. This is mainly associated with solar radiation, meteorological factors, and an unprecedented reduction in NOx during the lockdown period.