- Analysed stations:
| BH-1 (latitude: 47.07, longitude: 21.93, altitude: 128.00) | BH-3 (latitude:47.03, longitude: 21.95, altitude: 136.00) |
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- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Analysis:
Before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started to develop, in the start of the year 2020, NO2 emissions were similar to the ones from 2019. However, in the BH-1 station area there is a significant drop in NO2 emissions starting with March 23, when total quarantine was established. After the restrictions diminished in June 02, NO2 levels returned to the 2019 values. In the end of the year 2020, covid-19 cases increased a lot in number in Bihor, Romania, so the authorities introduced another quarantine period. As the chart below shows us, beginning with the first days of september, NO2 emissions dropped again until the end of the year.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) Analysis:
Even if the BH-3 station area isn’t that crowded and the emissions aren’t that high, during the states of emergency in Bihor, CO emissions still had a slight drop from the 2019 levels. The only periods when 2020 CO levels were higher than the 2019 values are before quarantine( in the beginning of the year ) and during the relaxation of restrictions( first half of June and November).
- Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Analysis:
As in the previous two situations, total lockdown determined a major drop in SO2 emissions, especially at the end of the year, when the pandemic was at its peak. Even if the first quarantine period that started in March didn’t make that much of a difference in SO2 emissions, the graphic below shows an incontestable drop by the end of 2020.
- Conclusion:
Judging by the graphics above, there is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic helped a lot with the air pollution problem in Bihor, Romania. However, when the restrictions loosened out and the industry came back to normal, NO2, CO and SO2 emissions fastly reached the previous year’s values. Knowing that Oradea (where stations BH-1 and BH-3 are located) is one of the most crowded cities from Romania, during the total lockdown periods, air pollution was reduced a lot.