The Effects of Lockdowns on the Air Pollutants´ Concentration. Case Study of Nitra, Slovakia
Abstract
This study assessed the impact of lockdown on the air pollutants ‘concentration, namely NO2 and PM2.5 a PM10 particles in the regional centre of Nitra city, Slovakia. For the purpose of the study, we compared the daily concentration of NO2 and PM2.5 and PM10 particles during pre-, lockdown and post lockdown periods in 2020 and compared with daily concentrations in 2019 with the respect to the meteorological parameters that may potentially affect these values. The results of the study suggest that the decrease in concentrations of harmful particles was not significant, on the contrary, in some periods of 2020 they increased. Only the decrease in the concentration of NO2 was statistically significant, which is in line with the studies carried out so far in the world.
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