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CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Changes in Ultrafine Particle Concentrations near a Major Airport Following Reduced Transportation Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.9(9), pp.706-711
09/13/2022
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/118524
PMID: 36118960
Appears in Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT)
Abstract
Mobility reductions following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States were higher, and sustained longer, for aviation than ground transportation activity. We evaluate changes in ultrafine particle (UFP, Dp < 100 nm, a marker of fuel-combustion emissions) concentrations at a site near Logan Airport (Boston, Massachusetts) in relation to mobility reductions. Several years of particle number concentration (PNC) data prepandemic [1/2017–9/2018] and during the state-of-emergency (SOE) phase of the pandemic [4/2020–6/2021] were analyzed to assess the emissions reduction impact on PNC, controlling for season and wind direction. Mean PNC was 48% lower during the first three months of the SOE than prepandemic, consistent with 74% lower flight activity and 39% (local)–51% (highway) lower traffic volume. Traffic volume and mean PNC for all wind directions returned to prepandemic levels by 6/2021; however, when the site was downwind from Logan Airport, PNC remained lower than prepandemic levels (by 23%), consistent with lower-than-normal flight activity (44% below prepandemic levels). Our study shows the effect of pandemic-related mobility changes on PNC in a near-airport community, and it distinguishes aviation-related and ground transportation source contributions.
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Details
- Title
- Changes in Ultrafine Particle Concentrations near a Major Airport Following Reduced Transportation Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Creators
- Sean C. Mueller - Boston UniversityNeelakshi Hudda - Tufts UniversityJonathan I. Levy - Boston UniversityJohn L. Durant - Tufts UniversityPrasad Patil - Boston UniversityNina Franzen Lee - Boston UniversityIda Weiss - Tufts UniversityTyler Tatro - Tufts UniversityTiffany Duhl - Tufts UniversityKevin Lane - Boston University
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.9(9), pp.706-711
- Academic Unit
- Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT); Emissions
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Grants
- 13-C-AJFF-BU-07, Federal Aviation Administration (United States, Washington) - FAA13-C-AJFF-BU-11, Federal Aviation Administration (United States, Washington) - FAA13-C-AJFF-BU-20, Federal Aviation Administration (United States, Washington) - FAA
- Identifiers
- 99900898129301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article