Effect of Lockdown on HCHO and Trace Gases over India during March 2020

Authors

Akshansha Chauhan, National Central University, Taiwan
Ramesh P. Singh, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-26-2020

Abstract

COVID-19 is one of the deadly Epidemics that has impacted people living in more than 200 countries. In order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, India observed total lockdown in the first phase for a period of 21 days (24 March–13 May 2020), so that social distancing is maintained. However, this sudden decision severely affected the normal life of people. The air quality improved due to lockdown, some relaxation was given in different cities and within some areas in the city where the people were not affected by COVID-19. In this paper, we discuss results of detailed analysis of trace gases (HCHO, NO₂, SO₂, CH₄, CO and O₃) and particulate matter concentration using satellite and ground data in major metropolitan cities of India during 10–31 March, 2020 and compared with the same period in the year 2019, to study the impact of total lockdown. Our analysis suggests, pronounced qualitative changes in HCHO, NO₂, SO₂, CH₄, CO, O₃and PM_2.5 concentration during complete lockdown period in the month of March 2020. We did not consider the period after 31 March 2020 to avoid influence of anthropogenic sources since the Government made relaxation in the lockdown periods after 31 March 2020.

Comments

This article was originally published in Aerosol and Air Quality Research, volume 21, issue 4, in 2021. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0445

This scholarship is part of the Chapman University COVID-19 Archives.

Recommended Citation

Chauhan, A., Singh, R.P. (2021). Effect of Lockdown on HCHO and Trace Gases over India during March 2020. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 21, 200445. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0445

Copyright

The authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.