TY - JOUR
T1 - Particulate matter concentrations and their association with COVID-19-related mortality in Mexico during June 2020 Saharan dust event
AU - Kutralam-Muniasamy, Gurusamy
AU - Pérez-Guevara, Fermín
AU - Martínez, Ignacio Elizalde
AU - Chari, Shruti Venkata
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - The present study evaluated the impact of Saharan dust event on particulate matter (PM: PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations by analyzing the daily average PM data between Saharan dust days (June 23–29, 2020) and non-Saharan dust days (June 15 to June 22 and June 30 to July 12, 2020) for four majorly affected regions in Mexico and by comparing with three major previous events (2015, 2018, and 2019). The results showed that PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 2–5 times higher during the Saharan dust event with the highest daily averages of 197 μg/m3 and 94 μg/m3, respectively, and exceeded the Mexican standard norm (NOM-020-SSA1-2014). When comparing with the previous Saharan dust episodes of 2015, 2018, and 2019, the levels of PM10 and PM2.5 considerably increased and more than doubled across Mexico. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association of PM levels with the number of daily COVID-19 cases and deaths during Saharan dust event. Furthermore, the human health risk assessment showed that the chronic daily intake and hazard quotient values incremented during Saharan dust days compared to non-Saharan days, indicating potential health effects and importance of taking necessary measures to ensure better air quality following the COVID-19 pandemic. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
AB - The present study evaluated the impact of Saharan dust event on particulate matter (PM: PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations by analyzing the daily average PM data between Saharan dust days (June 23–29, 2020) and non-Saharan dust days (June 15 to June 22 and June 30 to July 12, 2020) for four majorly affected regions in Mexico and by comparing with three major previous events (2015, 2018, and 2019). The results showed that PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 2–5 times higher during the Saharan dust event with the highest daily averages of 197 μg/m3 and 94 μg/m3, respectively, and exceeded the Mexican standard norm (NOM-020-SSA1-2014). When comparing with the previous Saharan dust episodes of 2015, 2018, and 2019, the levels of PM10 and PM2.5 considerably increased and more than doubled across Mexico. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association of PM levels with the number of daily COVID-19 cases and deaths during Saharan dust event. Furthermore, the human health risk assessment showed that the chronic daily intake and hazard quotient values incremented during Saharan dust days compared to non-Saharan days, indicating potential health effects and importance of taking necessary measures to ensure better air quality following the COVID-19 pandemic. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
KW - Air pollution
KW - Air quality index
KW - Hazard quotient
KW - PM
KW - Public health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105506783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11356-021-14168-y
DO - 10.1007/s11356-021-14168-y
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 33945088
AN - SCOPUS:85105506783
SN - 0944-1344
VL - 28
SP - 49989
EP - 50000
JO - Environmental Science and Pollution Research
JF - Environmental Science and Pollution Research
IS - 36
ER -