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Assessing the Impacts of Anthropogenic Activities on Air Quality: A Study During the Lockdown in 2nd Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Kullu Valley of North-Western Himalaya
6th Asia Research Node Symposium on Humanosphere Science and INternational Conference on Radioscience, Equatorial Atmospheric Science and Environment, INCREASE 2021 ; 275:675-686, 2022.
Article in English | Scopus | ID: covidwho-2094475
ABSTRACT
Criteria pollutants such as CO, SO2, NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 were monitored in the Kullu valley, a famous tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh, during the lockdown period of the 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The Pre-Lockdown Period (PLD) from 1 January to 6 May 2021 is taken here as a reference period, while the period from 7 May to 30 June 2021 is the Lockdown Period (LD). The present study was carried out to assess the anthropogenic impact on gaseous and particulate pollutants. Sulfur dioxide (1 h time average) and carbon monoxide (8 h average) were monitored using Thermo Fisher Scientific Gas Analyzers which uses pulse fluorescence technology and gas filter technology, respectively. While NO2 (24 h average) was analysed by Jacob and Hochessier method, and PM10 (24 h average) and PM2.5 (24 h average) were monitored using gravimetric method. The concentrations of pollutants were further analyzed incorporating mean ± standard error. HYSPLIT model was used to determine back trajectory of long-range transport of air pollutants. The results revealed average concentration of CO 0.59 ± 0.03 ppm in the PLD period, while it decreased to 0.35 ± 0.01 ppm in the LD period indicating how CO is largely influenced by vehicular emissions in the valley. Also, particulate matter such as PM10 and PM2.5 showed a decrease in lockdown period by 65.31% and 52.5%, respectively. The overall air quality was improved in the Kullu valley during lockdown period of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as tourist-related activity and anthropogenic activities were restricted. The MERRA-2 data during the pre-lockdown and the lockdown period was analyzed in ArcGIS 10.8, which indicates almost similar result. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: Scopus Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: 6th Asia Research Node Symposium on Humanosphere Science and INternational Conference on Radioscience, Equatorial Atmospheric Science and Environment, INCREASE 2021 Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: Scopus Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: 6th Asia Research Node Symposium on Humanosphere Science and INternational Conference on Radioscience, Equatorial Atmospheric Science and Environment, INCREASE 2021 Year: 2022 Document Type: Article