The association between different timeframes of air pollution exposure and COVID-19 incidence, morbidity and mortality in German counties in 2020.

Background: Ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for several chronic health conditions, including pulmonary dysfunction. In recent years, studies have shown a positive association between exposure to air pollutants and the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of a COVID-19 infection, however the time period for which air pollution exposure is most relevant for the COVID-19 outcome is still not defined. The aim of this study was to analyze the difference in association when varying the time period of air pollution exposure considered on COVID-19 infection within the same cohort during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020.

Air quality in Germany as a contributing factor to morbidity from COVID-19.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been spreading in Germany since January 2020, with regional differences in incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Long-term exposure to air pollutants as nitrogen dioxide (NO), nitrogen monoxide (NO), ozone (O), and particulate matter (<10 μm PM, <2.5 μm PM) has a negative impact on respiratory functions.

Asthma and COPD exacerbation in relation to outdoor air pollution in the metropolitan area of Berlin, Germany.

Background: Ambient air pollution poses a major risk for the development and aggravation of respiratory diseases. Evidence suggests that even in low-level air pollution environments there is a risk for an increase in adverse respiratory symptoms. We examined whether variations in daily air pollution levels of nitrogen dioxide, ozone, or particulate matter in Berlin, Germany were associated with hospital admissions of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma patients in a time series analysis.

Learning from the COVID-19 lockdown in berlin: Observations and modelling to support understanding policies to reduce NO.

Urban air pollution is a substantial threat to human health. Traffic emissions remain a large contributor to air pollution in urban areas. The mobility restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic provided a large-scale real-world experiment that allows for the evaluation of changes in traffic emissions and the corresponding changes in air quality.

APExpose_DE, an air quality exposure dataset for Germany 2010-2019.

Exposure to poor air quality is considered a major influence on the occurrence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Air pollution has also been linked to the severity of the effects of epidemics such as COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Epidemiological studies require datasets of the long-term exposure to air pollution.

A global observational analysis to understand changes in air quality during exceptionally low anthropogenic emission conditions.

This global study, which has been coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization Global Atmospheric Watch (WMO/GAW) programme, aims to understand the behaviour of key air pollutant species during the COVID-19 pandemic period of exceptionally low emissions across the globe. We investigated the effects of the differences in both emissions and regional and local meteorology in 2020 compared with the period 2015-2019. By adopting a globally consistent approach, this comprehensive observational analysis focuses on changes in air quality in and around cities across the globe for the following air pollutants PM, PM, PMC (coarse fraction of PM), NO, SO, NOx, CO, O and the total gaseous oxidant (OX = NO + O) during the pre-lockdown, partial lockdown, full lockdown and two relaxation periods spanning from January to September 2020.

How will air quality effects on human health, crops and ecosystems change in the future?

Future air quality will be driven by changes in air pollutant emissions, but also changes in climate. Here, we review the recent literature on future air quality scenarios and projected changes in effects on human health, crops and ecosystems. While there is overlap in the scenarios and models used for future projections of air quality and climate effects on human health and crops, similar efforts have not been widely conducted for ecosystems.

Air pollution at human scales in an urban environment: Impact of local environment and vehicles on particle number concentrations.

Air pollution is a global challenge causing millions of premature deaths annually. This is limited not only to developing, but also developed nations, with cities in particular struggling to meet air quality limit values to adequately protect human health. Total exposure to air pollution is often disproportionately affected by the relatively short amount of time spent commuting or in the proximity of traffic.

Air quality and climate--synergies and trade-offs.

Air quality and climate are often treated as separate science and policy areas. Air quality encompasses the here-and-now of pollutant emissions, atmospheric transformations and their direct effect on human and ecosystem health. Climate change deals with the drivers leading to a warmer world and the consequences of that.

Spatial variability of carbonaceous aerosol concentrations in East and West Jerusalem.

Carbonaceous aerosol concentrations and sources were compared during a year long study at two sites in East and West Jerusalem that were separated by a distance of approximately 4 km. One in six day 24-h PM(2.5) elemental and organic carbon concentrations were measured, along with monthly average concentrations of particle-phase organic compound tracers for primary and secondary organic aerosol sources.

Toxic metals in the atmosphere in Lahore, Pakistan.

Aerosol mass (PM(10) and PM(2.5)) and detailed elemental composition were measured in monthly composites during the calendar year of 2007 at a site in Lahore, Pakistan. Elemental analysis revealed extremely high concentrations of Pb (4.