Effects of , , and Environmental Factors in Spreading COVID-19: A Case Study of Delhi, India
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 3
Abstract
The inhalation of particulate matter (PM) has been linked to various respiratory illnesses, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened concerns about PM as a possible route of virus transmission through airborne particles. This study investigated the impact of lockdown on particulate matter and mass-segregated PM ( and ) deposition in human lungs. In this study, the daily average concentration of particulate matter ( and ) was observed from March 22 to May 15, 2021, and grouped into two categories: before and during lockdown. The lockdown resulted in a 1.6% decrease in concentration and a 15% decrease in concentration. Ground-level particulate matter concentrations were found to be positively correlated with daily new COVID-19 cases and daily deaths during the lockdown period. Meteorological temperature was found to be positively associated with daily cases and daily deaths due to COVID-19. The noncarcinogenic risk was calculated by hazard quotient (HQ) with annual daily dose (ADD), and it exceeded the target value of 1 in almost all cases. Analysis of airway geometry and mass deposition indicated that mass deposition was reduced by 25% and 13% for and , respectively. Therefore, ambient air pollution may be considered to be a major cofactor for the high death rate and number of daily cases during the pandemic. Based on the obtained results, the study recommends implementing effective pollution mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses and disease transmission through the air as a medium.
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Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The data used in this study were taken from the Central Pollution Control Boards website. The authors acknowledge the CPCB, the local pollution board (DPCC) and the Health & Family Welfare Department of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi.
Author contributions: Bhaven N. Tandel: supervision, validation, methodology, data curation, and conceptualization; Anirudh Mishra: writing—original draft, investigation, resources, and formal analysis; Avnish Shukla: writing—review and editing, visualization, software, investigation, and conceptualization.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 3 • March 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 5, 2023
Accepted: Sep 30, 2023
Published online: Dec 26, 2023
Published in print: Mar 1, 2024
Discussion open until: May 26, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
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- Business management
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- Developing countries
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- Environmental engineering
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- Health hazards
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- Particle pollution
- Pollution
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