Trends in CO, CO 2, CH 4, BC, and NO x during the First 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown: Source Insights from the WMO/GAW Station of Lamezia Terme (Calabria, Southern Italy)

Francesco D’Amico (), Ivano Ammoscato, Daniel Gullì, Elenio Avolio, Teresa Lo Feudo, Mariafrancesca De Pino, Paolo Cristofanelli, Luana Malacaria, Domenico Parise, Salvatore Sinopoli, Giorgia De Benedetto and Claudia Roberta Calidonna ()
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Francesco D’Amico: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Ivano Ammoscato: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Daniel Gullì: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Elenio Avolio: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Teresa Lo Feudo: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Mariafrancesca De Pino: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Paolo Cristofanelli: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
Luana Malacaria: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Domenico Parise: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Salvatore Sinopoli: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Giorgia De Benedetto: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy
Claudia Roberta Calidonna: Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Area Industriale Comp. 15, I-88046 Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-28

Abstract: In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak led many countries across the globe to introduce lockdowns (LDs) that effectively caused most anthropic activities to either stop completely or be significantly reduced. In Europe, Italy played a pioneeristic role via the early introduction of a strict nationwide LD on March 9th. This study was aimed at evaluating, using both chemical and meteorological data, the environmental response to that occurrence as observed by the Lamezia Terme (LMT) GAW/WMO station in Calabria, Southern Italy. The first 2020 lockdown was therefore used as a “proving ground” to assess CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , BC, and NO x concentrations in a rather unique context by exploiting the location of LMT in the context of the Mediterranean Basin. In fact, its location on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria and local wind circulation both lead to daily cycles where western-seaside winds depleted in anthropogenic pollutants can be easily differentiated from northeastern-continental winds, enriched in anthropogenic outputs. In addition to this, the first Italian LD occurred during the seasonal transition from winter to spring and, consequently, summer, thus providing new insights on emission outputs correlated with seasons. The findings clearly indicated BC and, in particular, CO as strongly correlated with average daily temperatures, as well as possibly domestic heating. CO 2 ’s reduction during the lockdown and consequent increase in the post-lockdown period, combined with wind data, allowed us to constrain the local source of emissions located northeast from LMT. NO x reductions during specific circumstances were consistent with hypotheses from previous research, which linked them to rush hour traffic and other forms of transportation emissions. CH 4 ’s stable patterns were consistent with livestock, landfills, and other sources assumed to be nearly constant during LD periods.

Keywords: COVID-19; 2020 lockdown; Lamezia Terme; Mediterranean Basin; GAW; carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide; methane; black carbon; nitrogen oxides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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