Impact of COVID-19 on air quality in major cities of Bangladesh: a temporal analysis (2018–2023)

Abstract

Bangladesh is among the countries with the highest concentrations of particulate matter and other air pollutants according to the World Health Organization. The Department of Environment of Bangladesh has installed air monitoring systems in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Gazipur, and Narayanganj to observe daily gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM) concentrations in those cities. This study analyzed the concentration of gaseous and particulate pollutants from 2018 to 2023 in these urban areas of Bangladesh. Ambient air concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and ozone (O3) were monitored in the dry and wet seasons for these cities. Temporal variability including hourly, day of the week, monthly, and seasonal variations of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants (except seasonal variation) were assessed. Both PM2.5 and PM10 exceeded the Bangladesh National Ambient Air Quality Standard (BNAAQS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines during the observed period for all the observed regions. PM2.5 mean concentration was maximum in Narayanganj i.e., 109.7 µg/m3 (313% of the limit of the air quality standard), and PM10 mean concentration was maximum in Narayanganj i.e., 203.3 µg/m3 (407%). Among the observed cities, Khulna had the better air quality although it was not satisfactory at all. However, the gaseous pollutants were within permissible limits. The temporal patterns suggested that vehicles, brick kilns, and industries were responsible for the poor air quality in Bangladesh. The air quality during the period in which COVID-19 was most prevalent (2020–2021) was compared to the two years prior and post to that interval. In general, air quality improved during the COVID period, but in the post-COVID period, they returned to concentrations similar to the pre-COVID period. After identifying possible pollutant sources, these results will assist decision-makers in taking action and implementing policies to control air pollution in cities.

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-024-00506-w

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https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2548889