Uncertainty in the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Hong Kong, China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion and Implications
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
Data availability
References
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Date | Key COVID-19 Events or Travel Restrictions |
---|---|
23 January 2020 | First two cases were confirmed |
25 January 2020 | An “emergency” warning was declared |
28 January 2020 | Partial closure of border with mainland China |
4 February 2020 | First death was reported |
5 February 2020 | Mandatory 14-day quarantine for those from mainland China |
25 March 2020 | Closure of border to all non-residents from overseas |
27 March 2020 | Indoor and outdoor public gatherings >4 people were banned |
3 April 2020 | All bars and pubs were closed |
5 May 2020 | Public gathering limit eased from 4 to 8 |
19 June 2020 | Public gathering limit eased from 8 to 50 |
11 July 2020 | Social distancing rules tightened due to a rise in COVID-19 cases |
Pollutants | January (pre-COVID-19) | February (COVID-19) | March (COVID-19) | April (COVID-19) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | |
CO | −7% | +2% | −3% | −7% | −21% | −9% | +1% | −13% | −12% | +40% | +4% | −2% |
SO2 | −29% | −32% | −17% | 0% | −52% | −33% | +31% | −23% | −11% | +42% | −6% | −11% |
NO2 | −18% | −13% | −13% | −2% | −28% | −24% | −1% | −17% | −20% | +10% | +5% | −6% |
O3 | +39% | +24% | +27% | +46% | +48% | +20% | +8% | +6% | +1% | +53% | +72% | +72% |
PM10 | −31% | −14% | −18% | −16% | −37% | −26% | +8% | −16% | −27% | +6% | −27% | −12% |
PM2.5 | −33% | −19% | −26% | −20% | −44% | −38% | −1% | −22% | −32% | −9% | −27% | −21% |
Pollutants | January (pre-COVID-19) | February (COVID-19) | March (COVID-19) | April (COVID-19) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | 2020 vs. 2019 | 2020 vs. 2018 | 2020 vs. 2017 | |
CO | −17% | +7% | −8% | −7% | −18% | −16% | −8% | −1% | −18% | +21% | +16% | −15% |
SO2 | −30% | −42% | −49% | −14% | −45% | −48% | +1% | −34% | −39% | −5% | −29% | −43% |
NO2 | −32% | −17% | −16% | −8% | −33% | −24% | −12% | −20% | −23% | +2% | 0% | −12% |
O3 | +24% | +12% | +14% | +18% | +11% | −1% | +1% | −7% | −10% | +20% | +21% | +32% |
PM10 | −35% | −23% | −29% | −5% | −38% | −32% | +2% | −19% | −35% | +16% | −30% | −18% |
PM2.5 | −36% | −25% | −34% | −7% | −44% | −40% | −6% | −24% | −39% | +4% | −24% | −24% |
Traffic | Year | January | February | March | April |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total passengers (thousands) | 2017 | 393,374 (+1.7%) | 355,731 (+3.7%) | 397,004 (+4.2%) | 370,591 (−1.2%) |
2018 | 398,100 (+1.3%) | 351,335 (−1.1%) | 400,049 (+0.7%) | 379,102 (+2.5%) | |
2019 | 414,391 (+4.0%) | 357,526 (+1.8%) | 407,630 (+1.7%) | 380,383 (+0.3%) | |
2020 | 349,532 (−15.7%) | 217,999 (−41.0%) | 246,284 (−39.6%) | 222,646 (−41.4%) | |
Total vehicles | 2017 | 7,958,585 (+0.5%) | 7,147,909 (−0.7%) | 8,290,839 (+4.1%) | 7,576,014 (−2.5%) |
2018 | 8,066,085 (+1.4%) | 7,121,978 (−0.4%) | 8,323,358 (+0.4%) | 7,724,664 (+2.0%) | |
2019 | 8,257,283 (+2.4%) | 7,027,811 (−1.3%) | 8,382,402 (+0.7%) | 7,696,259 (−0.4%) | |
2020 | 7,624,328 (−7.7%) | 6,078,955 (−13.5%) | 6,631,756 (−20.9%) | 6,041,706 (−21.5%) |
Pollutants | SO2 | NOx | PM10 | PM2.5 | VOC | CO | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sectors | |||||||
Electricity generation | 43% | 27% | 16% | 10% | 2% | 6% | |
Navigation | 52% | 37% | 34% | 41% | 17% | 24% | |
Road transport | 0% | 20% | 10% | 13% | 19% | 53% | |
Civil aviation | 4% | 7% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 8% | |
Other combustion | 1% | 9% | 16% | 19% | 3% | 10% | |
Non-combustion | N/A | N/A | 22% | 15% | 57% | N/A | |
Total (tonnes) | 16,160 | 84,960 | 4020 | 3120 | 25,520 | 57,110 |
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Huang, Y.; Zhou, J.L.; Yu, Y.; Mok, W.-c.; Lee, C.F.C.; Yam, Y.-s. Uncertainty in the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Hong Kong, China. Atmosphere 2020, 11, 914. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11090914
Huang Y, Zhou JL, Yu Y, Mok W-c, Lee CFC, Yam Y-s. Uncertainty in the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Hong Kong, China. Atmosphere. 2020; 11(9):914. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11090914
Chicago/Turabian StyleHuang, Yuhan, John L. Zhou, Yang Yu, Wai-chuen Mok, Casey F.C. Lee, and Yat-shing Yam. 2020. "Uncertainty in the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Hong Kong, China" Atmosphere 11, no. 9: 914. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11090914
APA StyleHuang, Y., Zhou, J. L., Yu, Y., Mok, W. -c., Lee, C. F. C., & Yam, Y. -s. (2020). Uncertainty in the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality in Hong Kong, China. Atmosphere, 11(9), 914. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11090914