Spatialized PM2.5 during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil’s most populous southern city: implications for post-pandemic era

da Costa, Gabriela, Pauliquevis, Theotonio, Heise, Eduardo Ferreira José, Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1994-7750, Godoi, Ana Flávia Locateli, Yamamoto, Carlos Itsuo, dos Santos-Silva, Jéssica Caroline and Godoi, Ricardo Henrique Moreton (2024) Spatialized PM2.5 during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil’s most populous southern city: implications for post-pandemic era. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 46 (1). 29. ISSN 0269-4042

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Abstract

Brazil has experienced one of the highest COVID-19 fatality rates globally. While numerous studies have explored the potential connection between air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and the exacerbation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the majority of this research has been conducted in foreign regions—Europe, the United States, and China—correlating generalized pollution levels with health-related scopes. In this study, our objective is to investigate the localized connection between exposure to air pollution exposure and its health implications within a specific Brazilian municipality, focusing on COVID-19 susceptibility. Our investigation involves assessing pollution levels through spatial interpolation of in situ PM2.5 measurements. A network of affordable sensors collected data across 9 regions in Curitiba, as well as its metropolitan counterpart, Araucaria. Our findings distinctly reveal a significant positive correlation (with r-values reaching up to 0.36, p-value < 0.01) between regions characterized by higher levels of pollution, particularly during the winter months (with r-values peaking at 0.40, p-value < 0.05), with both COVID-19 mortality and incidence rates. This correlation gains added significance due to the intricate interplay between urban atmospheric pollution and regional human development indices. Notably, heightened pollution aligns with industrial hubs and intensified vehicular activity. The spatial analysis performed in this study assumes a pivotal role by identifying priority regions that require targeted action post-COVID. By comprehending the localized dynamics between air pollution and its health repercussions, tailored strategies can be implemented to alleviate these effects and ensure the well-being of the public.