Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality
Abstract Social restriction in cities to curb infection rates of COVID-19 has become an opportunity to investigate the relationship between humans and the urban atmosphere. We evaluate the impact of the decline in human activities as a result of social distancing on the urban CO2 concentrations and...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0376 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825197543968997376 |
|---|---|
| author | Hayoung Park Sujong Jeong Ja-Ho Koo Sojung Sim Yeon Bae Yeonsoo Kim Chaerin Park Jeongyeon Bang |
| author_facet | Hayoung Park Sujong Jeong Ja-Ho Koo Sojung Sim Yeon Bae Yeonsoo Kim Chaerin Park Jeongyeon Bang |
| author_sort | Hayoung Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Social restriction in cities to curb infection rates of COVID-19 has become an opportunity to investigate the relationship between humans and the urban atmosphere. We evaluate the impact of the decline in human activities as a result of social distancing on the urban CO2 concentrations and air quality in Seoul during February and March of 2020 compared to 2019. Due to the reduction in human activity in 2020, local measurements of CO and NO2 show a decrease in background concentration (up to −11.9% and −41.7%, respectively) and urban enhancement (up to −16.7% and −38.1%, respectively) compared to the previous year. In contrast, the background concentration of CO2 increases by 3.9% in 2020. Ratios of CO:CO2 and NO2:CO2 also show a decrease in 2020 compared to the previous year, signaling an improvement in the urban air quality of Seoul. Moreover, the insignificant change in wind speed and wind direction during the months of February and March 2020 compared to 2019 implies that CO2, CO, and NO2 concentrations have not been influenced by meteorological conditions, but mainly by changes in emissions from decreased human activity. Despite the rise in background CO2 concentration, urban contributions of CO2 show a decline of −12.6%, indicating that cities with high emissions have the potential to reduce urban CO2 enhancements and air pollutant concentrations, and ultimately impact the global atmosphere. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e05d0b82cef44dceb9feb3801cecd05e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-e05d0b82cef44dceb9feb3801cecd05e2025-02-09T12:20:42ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092020-10-0121111410.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0376Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air QualityHayoung Park0Sujong Jeong1Ja-Ho Koo2Sojung Sim3Yeon Bae4Yeonsoo Kim5Chaerin Park6Jeongyeon Bang7Department of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Yonsei UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National UniversityAbstract Social restriction in cities to curb infection rates of COVID-19 has become an opportunity to investigate the relationship between humans and the urban atmosphere. We evaluate the impact of the decline in human activities as a result of social distancing on the urban CO2 concentrations and air quality in Seoul during February and March of 2020 compared to 2019. Due to the reduction in human activity in 2020, local measurements of CO and NO2 show a decrease in background concentration (up to −11.9% and −41.7%, respectively) and urban enhancement (up to −16.7% and −38.1%, respectively) compared to the previous year. In contrast, the background concentration of CO2 increases by 3.9% in 2020. Ratios of CO:CO2 and NO2:CO2 also show a decrease in 2020 compared to the previous year, signaling an improvement in the urban air quality of Seoul. Moreover, the insignificant change in wind speed and wind direction during the months of February and March 2020 compared to 2019 implies that CO2, CO, and NO2 concentrations have not been influenced by meteorological conditions, but mainly by changes in emissions from decreased human activity. Despite the rise in background CO2 concentration, urban contributions of CO2 show a decline of −12.6%, indicating that cities with high emissions have the potential to reduce urban CO2 enhancements and air pollutant concentrations, and ultimately impact the global atmosphere.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0376COVID-19Social distancingUrban emissionsAir quality |
| spellingShingle | Hayoung Park Sujong Jeong Ja-Ho Koo Sojung Sim Yeon Bae Yeonsoo Kim Chaerin Park Jeongyeon Bang Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality Aerosol and Air Quality Research COVID-19 Social distancing Urban emissions Air quality |
| title | Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality |
| title_full | Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality |
| title_fullStr | Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality |
| title_short | Lessons from COVID-19 and Seoul: Effects of Reduced Human Activity from Social Distancing on Urban CO2 Concentration and Air Quality |
| title_sort | lessons from covid 19 and seoul effects of reduced human activity from social distancing on urban co2 concentration and air quality |
| topic | COVID-19 Social distancing Urban emissions Air quality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.07.0376 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hayoungpark lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT sujongjeong lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT jahokoo lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT sojungsim lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT yeonbae lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT yeonsookim lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT chaerinpark lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality AT jeongyeonbang lessonsfromcovid19andseouleffectsofreducedhumanactivityfromsocialdistancingonurbanco2concentrationandairquality |