Seasonal Variations and Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions on the Air Quality in the Cities of Kazakhstan
Baimatova N. Omarova A. Muratuly A. Tursumbayeva M. Ibragimova O.P. Bukenov B. Kerimray A.
September 2022Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Environmental Processes
2022#9Issue 3
The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on different air pollutants in eight cities of Kazakhstan by employing the data from the National Air Quality Monitoring Network. We selected eight cities located in different regions of the country with varied climatic and geographic conditions and emissions sources, providing good conditions for studying the differences in responses of air quality to COVID-19. Due to severe winters, the heating season in Kazakhstan has a significant impact on air quality; therefore, annual winter/spring changes in air quality were also compared. The positive effect of the COVID-19 lockdown (spring 2020) on NO2 and CO levels was observed in 5 and 3 cities, respectively (out of 8). Total Suspended Particles and SO2 exhibited a more complicated response to COVID-19 lockdown: cities had a varying effect. No impact of lockdown measures was observed in industrial cities (Ust-Kamenegorsk and Karagandy), but seasonal changes were significant. In addition, despite some improvements during the lockdown period, the air quality in seven out of eight cities was still below the safety levels. The atmospheric quality in urban areas of Kazakhstan has not improved significantly due to the lockdown measures. This study underscores the importance of imposing stricter air quality emission control over industrial enterprises and coal-fired power plants.
Air quality , COVID-19 , Kazakhstan , Lockdown , Monitoring , Pollution
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Center of Physical-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 96a Tole bi Street, Almaty, 050012, Kazakhstan
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Center of Physical-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology
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