Does social isolation actually impact air quality? the case of Campinas – SP

Abstract

Air pollution is considered one of the biggest environmental and health problems in the world. Over the years, several events occurred that were responsible for causing changes in air quality. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease and the rapid increase in the number of positive cases that have spread around the world, making the disease a concern on an international scale, several countries have adopted restriction measures to reduce the spread of the virus.  Brazil adopted the social distancing in March 2020, after the declaration of public health emergency state. In this study, the impact of social distancing measures on air quality and the variation in particulate matter concentrations was analyzed (PM10 and PM2.5) in three monitoring stations in the city of Campinas (SP). Data from the quarantine period in 2020, and the values from the same period in 2019, before the pandemic, were compared. Particulate matter levels were reduced at the quarantine beginning and increased due to the reduction in the rate of social isolation in the city. The study showed, through the linear regression model, that there is a relationship between the concentration of particulate matter and the rate of social isolation, but it was a weak correlation.