Remote Sensing Surveillance of NO2, SO2, CO, and AOD along the Suez Canal Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Lockdown Periods and during the Blockage

Author:

Gamal Gamil1,Abdeldayem Omar M.2ORCID,Elattar Hoda3,Hendy Salma4,Gabr Mohamed Elsayed5ORCID,Mostafa Mohamed K.6ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt

2. Department of Water Supply, Sanitation and Environmental Engineering, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands

3. Faculty of Behavioral, Managerial and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands

4. Environmental Engineering Program, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 6th October City, Giza 12578, Egypt

5. Civil Engineering Department, Higher Institute for Engineering and Technology, New Damietta, Ministry of Higher Education, New Damietta 34517, Egypt

6. Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Cairo 11829, Egypt

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ever Given ship blockage on the air quality in Suez Canal region. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were studied, and data were obtained from satellite instruments. The study compared monthly average data for 2020, 2021, and 2022 with a baseline period of 2017–2019 to investigate the pandemic’s effect. The study also analyzed the corresponding period of the canal blockage to identify its impact on air pollution levels. The pandemic had a significant role in decreasing NO2 by 2.5 × 1014 molecule/cm2 and SO2 by 0.05 DU due to reduced car traffic and industrial activities. A reduction in AOD by 20% and CO concentration in the range from 3.5% to 4.7% was reported in early 2020. During the blockage, NO2 and SO2 levels decreased by 14.4% and 66.0%, respectively, while CO and AOD index increased by 12.68% and 51.0%, respectively. The study concludes that the containment measures during the pandemic had a positive impact on the environment, which shows how the reduction in the anthropogenic activities, especially industrial and transportation activities, have improved the air quality. Thus, stricter actions are needed to protect the environment; for example, the transition towards the using of electric vehicle is necessary, which is part of Egypt’s strategy to transition towards a green economy. The government should also adopt a policy to trade carbon emissions reduction certificates to help reduce air pollution.

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Geography, Planning and Development,Building and Construction

Reference99 articles.

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4. El-Adawi, R. (2023, April 22). Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Enjoy Theatre—Theater—Al-Ahram Weekly—Ahram Online. Available online: https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/50/1222/369642/AlAhram-Weekly/Theater/Stay-home,-stay-safe,-and-enjoy-theatre-.aspx.

5. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on small-scale farming in Northeastern Nile Delta of Egypt and learned lessons for water conservation potentials;Selim;Ain Shams Eng. J.,2022

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