Air quality during SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) lockdown in Sarajevo

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare air quality in Sarajevo in March 2019 and March 2020 with outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. First preventive and protective measures were issued at the end of second week of March, while on 21 March 2020 an order imposing complete ban of movement of citizens from late afternoon until early in the morning next day was issued. This was rare opportunity to compare air quality in Sarajevo having same causes of air pollution for one part of March 2019 and March 2020 and different causes of air pollution during the lockdown and ban of movement caused by SARS-CoV-2. Statistical hypothesis testing is used to compare values during the March 2019 and March 2020 before the lockdown (the first phase) and during the lockdown (the second phase). Complete and comprehensive analysis is performed for both phases of March 2019 and March 2020, before the lockdown and during the lockdown. It is shown that there are statistical evidences that during the lockdown period mean concentration values of O3 and NO2 are smaller than mean values during same period in March 2019, while mean concentration value of PM10 is greater than mean value during same period in March 2019. Also, statistical hypothesis testing is used to compare concentration of air pollutants before and during lockdown period in March 2020. It is shown that mean concentration values of PM10 and O3 are greater during lockdown period, while mean concentration value of NO2 before the lockdown in March 2020 is greater than during the lockdown period. Coefficients of correlation as the measure of the strength of linear association between air pollutants PM10, O3 and NO2 and meteorological parameters air temperature, humidity and pressure, wind speed and wind direction are calculated as well.