Pandemic of Coronavirus COVID-19 and Air Pollution in Tbilisi in Spring 2020

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Avtandil G. Amiranashvili
Darejan D. Kirkitadze,
Eliso N. Kekenadze

Abstract

At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China and later spread throughout the world, including Georgia. To control the rapid dispersion of the virus, Georgia, as another countries has imposed national lockdown policies to praxise social distancing, restriction of automobile traffic, industrial enterprises, etc. This has led to reduced human activities and hence primary air pollutant emissions, which caused improvement of air quality.

In this work data about influence of these limitation in Georgia in connection with the pandemic of COVID-19 to the decrease of the level of air pollution in Tbilisi during spring 2020 compared to the same period in 2017-2019.

The data of Georgian National Environmental Agency about the daily mean values of dust concentration (atmospheric particulate matter - PM2.5 and PM10), NO2, CO and O3and also data of the satellite monitoring of the aerosol optical thickness of atmosphere are used. In particular, there has been a significant increase in ozone in the air and a significant decrease in other atmospheric pollutants.

 

 

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Keywords:
Pandemic of Coronavirus COVID-19, air pollution.
Published: Jul 7, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48614/ggs2320202654

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How to Cite
Amiranashvili, A. G., Kirkitadze, D. D., & Kekenadze, E. N. (2020). Pandemic of Coronavirus COVID-19 and Air Pollution in Tbilisi in Spring 2020. Journals of Georgian Geophysical Society, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.48614/ggs2320202654
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Vol. 23 No. 1 (2020): Physics of Solid Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Space Plasma
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