IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE AIR QUALITY OF INDIA

Towards the end of 2019, a novel contagious virus (COVID-19) came out of Wuhan, China and turned into a disastrous pandemic. Many countries were locked down;completely or partially. The ongoing pandemic not only affected our economies and routine life, but also the environment. This study was aimed to compare the air quality of the Indian subcontinent prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, air quality parameters (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, PM2.5 and PM10) and meteorological parameters (wind speed and relative humidity) were analysed. The data was obtained from 229 monitoring stations in India and satellitebased Aerosol Absorption Index (AAI) during the springs of 2019 and 2020. The result indicated a significant decline in the concentration mean, six air pollutants (i.e., PM2.5, PM10, N2, SO2, O3 and CO) decreased by 36.27, 42.96, 44.62, 28.88, 18.35 and 20.51 %, respectively during April 2020 due to less to no industrial activities and vehicular emissions. The spatial variation of each parameter was simulated using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model was applied to generate the overall air quality severity zonation map of the country. The zonation map indicated that by adopting cleaner fuel and restriction on biomass burning in the rural and urban sectors can improve the ambient air quality © 2023, Suranaree Journal of Science and Technology.All Rights Reserved.

Safeguarding COVID-19 and cancer management: Drug design and therapeutic approach

Recent clinical cohort studies have highlighted that there is a three-fold greater SARS-Cov-2 infection risk in cancer patients, and overall mortality in individuals with tumours is increased by 41% with respect to general COVID-19 patients. Thus, access to therapeutics and intensive care is compromised for people with both diseases (comorbidity) and there is risk of delayed access to diagnosis. This comorbidity has resulted in extensive burden on the treatment of patients and health care system across the globe;moreover, mortality of hospitalized patients with comorbidity is reported to be 30% higher than for individuals affected by either disease. In this data-driven review, we aim specifically to address drug discoveries and clinical data of cancer management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review will extensively address the treatment of COVID-19/cancer comorbidity;treatment protocols and new drug discoveries, including the description of drugs currently available in clinical settings;demographic features;and COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients worldwide. © 2021 Thorat N et al.

Multivariate and spatial analysis of reduced urban air pollution during COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi

Towards the end of 2019, a novel contagious virus (COVID-19) came out of Wuhan, China and turned into a disastrous pandemic. Many countries were completely or partially locked down. The ongoing pandemic has greatly affected our society and economy but, on the other side, it had effects upon the natural environment, as it rejuvenated itself. The present study repots the air quality and spatial distribution of air quality parameters (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3 and CO) in Delhi, taking into account data from 36 monitoring stations, for the months of January - April 2019 and 2020, respectively before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistical tools like box plot, Pearson's correlation, and PCA were used to interpret air pollution data before and during the lockdown period. The results revealed the characteristics of pollutants with respect to location, relationship between pollutants, and monitoring their level in compliance with the limits set by the legislation. The results of multivariate analysis were further spatially analyzed by mapping the distribution of pollutants by using the Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation. The result revealed the gradual reduction in the pollutant concentrations (PM10, PM2.5, CO, SO2) and an increment in ozone concentration was observed, which was due to a drastic reduction in NO2, especially during March and April 2020, immediately after the declared lockdown in the region. The overall study indicated that the interventions for urban air pollution mitigation are crucial in the regeneration of nature. © 2021 University of Craiova, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography. All rights reserved.

Spatio temporal analysis of air quality of Udaipur and its relation with land surface temperature before and during Covid -19 pandemic

The Indian subcontinent has consistently been at the center of attention for its spinechilling air quality all over the country. Notwithstanding, the year 2020 has been loaded with shocks, the consuming issue of 2020 isn't the unfortunate air quality, yet a novel infection (COVID - 19) which has been presently transformed into a general pandemic, no doubt due to its infectious nature, and its existence appeared in Wuhan, China. Before the end of 2019, COVID - 19 has taken a genuine loss of life all through Wuhan and passed its inheritance in 2020 all through the globe which constrained the overall nations to experience total lockdown to stop the further influx of the infection. Specifically, this chapter collected the air quality information of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India, before and during the COVID - 19 pandemic and discusses its impact on air quality. It sheds a light on the distribution of six major air quality parameters (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, PM2.5, and PM10) in Udaipur which has been accessed from monitoring stations for April, which was analyzed for two consecutive years 2019 and 2020. Along with the air quality parameters, land surface temperature (LST) was also calculated for both years. Each parameter had its spatial variation calculated with the assistance of the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. Also, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model was executed for the generation of the overall air quality severity zonation map of the state. Furthermore, the results display and discuss the conspicuous overall enhancement in the air quality of the entire state during April 2020, in April 2020 the air quality of the state can be declared as "moderate" or "satisfactory" in comparison to the air quality back in April 2019 which showcases "very poor" air quality. Moreover, this chapter will also elucidate the factors which helped in lowering the level of air quality parameters and land surface temperature in the state just after the nationwide lockdown was declared. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.