The Impact of COVID-19 Control Measures on Air Quality in Guangdong Province

Lili Li, Zhihui Mao, Jianjun Du, Tao Chen, Lu Cheng and Xiaocui Wen
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Lili Li: College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
Zhihui Mao: College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
Jianjun Du: College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
Tao Chen: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Lu Cheng: College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
Xiaocui Wen: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: COVID-19 control measures had a significant social and economic impact in Guangdong Province, and provided a unique opportunity to assess the impact of human activities on air quality. Based on the monitoring data of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 concentrations from 101 air quality monitoring stations in Guangdong Province from October 2019 to April 2020, the PSCF (potential source contribution factor) analysis and LSTM (long short-term memory) neural network were applied to explore the impact of epidemic control measures on air quality in Guangdong Province. Results showed that during the lockdown, the average concentration of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 decreased by 37.84%, 51.56%, 58.82%, and 24.00%, respectively. The ranges of potential sources of pollutants were reduced, indicating that air quality in Guangdong Province improved significantly. The Pearl River Delta, characterized by a high population density, recorded the highest NO 2 concentration values throughout the whole study period. Due to the lockdown, the areas with the highest concentrations of O 3 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 changed from the Pearl River Delta to the eastern and western Guangdong. Moreover, LSTM simulation results showed that the average concentration of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 decreased by 46.34%, 54.56%, 70.63%, and 26.76%, respectively, which was caused by human-made impacts. These findings reveal the remarkable impact of human activities on air quality and provide effective theoretical support for the prevention and control of air pollution in Guangdong Province.

Keywords: COVID-19 epidemic control; potential source factor; long short-term memory neural network; Guangdong Province (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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