Spatio-temporal variation of particulate matter with health impact assessment and long-range transport - case study:...

A clean atmosphere should be provided as a right for human beings to live. The reality is that a significant proportion of the population is exposed to air pollution. This study presents an in-depth investigation into the spatio-temporal dynamics of PM_2.5 concentrations in Ankara, Türkiye, spanning over three years. With particular emphasis on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures and local air quality management strategies, data from eight air pollution monitoring stations were analyzed. The findings indicate a significant reduction in PM_2.5 levels during lockdown periods, with an average decrease of 18 % observed across the city. Implementing the Ankara Provincial Clean Air Action Plan further contributed to a 9.1 % decrease in PM_2.5 concentrations in 2021, followed by an additional 6.6 % decrease in 2022 compared to 2020. The spatial distribution of PM_2.5 concentrations reveals the influence of industrial and urban areas on pollution levels. Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) and Concentration-Weighted Trajectory (CWT) methods were employed to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of long-range transport source regions contributing to the PM_2.5 levels in Ankara. PSCF and CWT analyses revealed a decreasing trend in anthropogenic contribution to PM_2.5 from 2020 to 2022. The AirQ⁺ model was employed to predict the long-term mortality rates attributable to PM_2.5 across different monitoring stations. Based on the estimations, all stations' average estimated attributable proportion is 9.8 % (3.3 %-27.8 %). The results depict varying trends in estimated mortality rates, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate the public health risks arising from exposure to polluted air. Overall, the results of this study show significant measures for the development of effective clean air quality strategies can effectively change the direction of the adverse impact of air pollution on public health.