Air Pollution/Quality Trends in the Pandemic of the 21st Century: Approaches in Türkiye

Öz

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020. The pandemic of the 21st century has attracted attention as an important issue, and studies have been carried out in many areas in terms of the related issue. One of these areas is air pollution/quality, which received wide coverage in the media and where positive developments became visible with restrictions. In studies conducted on a national basis regarding COVID-19 pandemic and air pollution/quality, it has been determined that the selected cities have at least one specific feature. These features include population density, excess industrial activities, excess vehicle or transportation network connections, mining activities, and energy recovery. As a result of the study, a decrease was observed in outdoor air pollution emissions, especially during the restrictions, and it was determined that there were improvements in terms of general air quality in Türkiye. While there have been previous studies on the interaction between pandemics and air pollution, this study distinguishes itself by providing a comprehensive and detailed analysis within the context of Türkiye. Unlike earlier works, this research evaluates Türkiye in a broader framework, offering a holistic perspective on the topic. It not only summarizes and interprets findings but also provides actionable recommendations for future pandemic periods and sustainable urban development. This study highlights the situation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of air pollution, sheds light on future scenarios, and offers policymakers and decision-makers practical proposals applicable to regions worldwide. In the event of future pandemics or efforts to promote healthy and sustainable living, the insights and assessments presented in this study can serve as a valuable reference. Furthermore, it provides actionable strategies for reducing urban air pollution, making it relevant for different countries and cities globally.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• Hava Kalitesi
• Hava Kirliliği
• Kısıtlama
• Pandemi
• Türkiye

21. Yüzyıl Küresel Salgınında Hava Kirliliği/Kalitesi Trendleri: Türkiye'deki Yaklaşımlar

Öz

COVID-19, Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (WHO) tarafından 2020 yılında pandemi olarak ilan edilmiştir. 21. yüzyılın bu pandemisi, önemli bir mesele olarak dikkat çekmiş ve bu konuda birçok alanda çalışmalar yürütülmüştür. Bu alanlardan biri de hava kirliliği/kalitesi olup, medyada geniş yer bulmuş ve kısıtlamalarla birlikte olumlu gelişmeler gözlemlenmiştir. COVID-19 pandemisi ve hava kirliliği/kalitesi üzerine ulusal bazda yapılan çalışmalarda, seçilen şehirlerin en az bir spesifik özelliğe sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu özellikler arasında nüfus yoğunluğu, aşırı sanayi faaliyetleri, yoğun araç veya ulaşım ağı bağlantıları, madencilik faaliyetleri ve enerji geri kazanımı yer almaktadır. Çalışmanın sonucunda, özellikle kısıtlamalar sırasında dış hava kirliliği emisyonlarında bir azalma gözlemlenmiş ve Türkiye'de genel hava kalitesinde iyileşmeler olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Pandemiler ve hava kirliliği arasındaki etkileşim üzerine daha önce yapılan çalışmalar bulunmakla birlikte, bu çalışma kendini Türkiye bağlamında kapsamlı ve detaylı bir analiz sunmasıyla öne çıkarmaktadır. Önceki çalışmalardan farklı olarak, bu araştırma Türkiye'yi daha geniş bir çerçevede değerlendirerek konuya bütüncül bir perspektif sunmaktadır. Bulguları özetlemek ve yorumlamanın yanı sıra gelecekteki pandemi dönemleri ve sürdürülebilir kentsel gelişim için uygulanabilir öneriler de sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma; COVID-19 pandemisi öncesi ve sırasındaki durumu hava kirliliği açısından vurgulamakta, gelecekteki senaryolara ışık tutmakta ve politika yapıcılar ile karar vericilere dünya genelindeki bölgelere uygulanabilecek pratik öneriler sunmaktadır. Gelecekteki pandemiler veya sağlıklı ve sürdürülebilir yaşamı teşvik etme çabaları söz konusu olduğunda, bu çalışmada sunulan içgörüler ve değerlendirmeler değerli bir referans olarak kullanılabilir. Çalışma, kentsel hava kirliliğini azaltmaya yönelik uygulanabilir stratejiler sunarak, dünya genelindeki farklı ülkeler ve şehirler için de geçerlilik taşımaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Air Pollution
• Air Quality
• COVID-19
• Lockdown
• Pandemic
• Türkiye

Kaynakça

1. Adams, M.D. (2020). Air Pollution in Ontario, Canada During the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Science of the Total Environment, 742, Canada
2. Aragão, L., Ronchieri, E., Ambrosio, G. et al. (2024). Air Quality Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Guided by Robust Virus-Spreading Data in Italy. Air Qual Atmos Health 17, 1135–1153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-023-01495-x
3. Aydın, N. & Yetişkul, E. (2021). Sokağa Çıkma Yasaklarının Kentlerin Hava Kalitesi Üzerindeki Etkisi, Izmir Örneği. İDEALKENT, COVID-19 Sonrası Kentsel Kamusal Mekânların Dönüşümü, 389-414. doi: 10.31198/idealkent.880951. In Turkish.
4. Aykaç, N, Bostan, P, Olcay, SS, Öztürk, B. (2021). Five-Year Analysis of Air Pollution in Istanbul including Also the İmpact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Izmir Göğüs Hastanesi Dergisi. 35(3):113-24.
5. Azgın, Ş.T., Kekecoglu, N. & Yamac, E. (2021). Evaluation of the Air Quality and CO2-Equivalent Change of Kayseri During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Journal of Engineering Sciences, 10 (1), 9-15. doi: 10.28948/ngumuh.811079.
6. Bacak, T.N., Dursun, Ş., Toros, H. (2020). The Effect of COVID-19 outbreak on Air Quality of Istanbul City Centre. Journal of Research in Atmospheric Science, 2(1), pp. 7-11.
7. Borhani, F., Shafiepour Motlagh, M., Stohl, A. et al. (2021). Changes in Short-Lived Climate Pollutants During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Tehran, Iran. Environ Monit Assess 193, 331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09096-w
8. Bostan, P., Olcay, S.S. (2022). Dünden Bugüne Ülkemizde Yapılan Dış Ortam Hava Kirliliği Sağlık Etkileri Araştırmaları. TSAD. 2022;3(3):22-9.

9. Bozkurt, V. (2020). Pandemi Döneminde Çalişma: Ekonomik Kaygilar, Dijitalleşme Ve Verimlilik. COVID-19 Pandemı̇sı̇nı̇n Ekonomı̇k, Toplumsal ve Sı̇yasal Etkileri, 115-136. DOI: 10.26650/B/SS46.2020.005.08
10. Braga, F., Scarpa, G.M., Brando, V.E., Manfè, G., Zaggia, L. (2020). COVID-19 Lockdown Measures Reveal Human İmpact on Water Transparency in the Venice Lagoon. Sci Total Environ. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139612.
11. Briz-Redón, Á., Belenguer-Sapiña C, Serrano-Aroca Á. (2021). Changes in Air Pollution During COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain: A Multi-City Study. Journal of Environmental Sciences, Volume 101, Pages 16-26, doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2020.07.029.
12. Copat, C., Cristaldi, A., Fiore, M., Grasso, A., Zuccarello, P., Signorelli, S.S., Conti, G.O., Ferrante, M. (2020). The Role of Air Pollution (PM and NO2) in COVID-19 Spread and Lethality: A Systematic Review. Environmental Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110129.
13. Celik, E., Gul, M. (2022). How Covid-19 Pandemic and Partial Lockdown Decisions Affect Air Quality of a City? The Case of Istanbul, Türkiye. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 24, 1616–1654. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01328-w
14. Çelik, B.D., Arıcı, N. (2021). Air Quality Forecast in the Covid-19 Outbreak Process: Zonguldak Case, Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences, 7(3), pp. 222-232. doi:10.30855/gmbd.2021.03.05 In Turkish.
15. Değer, S. S. (2022). Investigation of SO2 Pollution from Coal-Fired and Geothermal Power Plants Using High Resolution Satellite Retrievals, Master Thesis, Istanbul Technical Uni. Graduate School, http://hdl.handle.net/11527/20262
16. Dundar, E., Dursun Ş., Toros H. (2020). Air Pollution in Ankara during COVID-19. Journal of Research in Atmospheric Science, 2(1), pp. 24-30.
17. Dursun, S., Sagdic, M., & Toros, H. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Air Quality in Turkey. Environmental Forensics, 23(1–2), 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2021.1892876
18. Efe, B. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Air Quality Levels in Samsun, Türkiye. Environmental Sciences Proceedings. 8(1):6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecas2021-10692
19. Efe, B. (2022). Air Quality İmprovement and its Relation to Mobility During COVID-19 Lockdown in Marmara Region, Türkiye. Environ Monit Assess 194, 255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-09889-7
20. Faruk, M.O., Rahman, M.S., Jannat, S.N. et al. (2022). A Review Of the Impact of Environmental Factors and Pollutants on Covid-19 Transmission. Aerobiologia 38, 277–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-022-09748-5
21. Fidan, C., Akdur, R. (2022). Hava Kirliliği ve COVID-19. ESTÜDAM Halk Sağlığı Dergisi. 2022;7(2):368-7. https://doi.org/10.35232/estudamhsd.1039535
22. Ghahremanloo, M., Lops, Y., Choi, Y., & Mousavinezhad, S. (2020). Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Air Pollution Levels in East Asia. The Science of the Total Environment, 754.
23. Ghasempour, F., Sekertekin, A., Kutoglu, S.H. (2021). Google Earth Engine Based Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Air Pollutants Before and During the First Wave COVID-19 Outbreak Over Türkiye Via Remote Sensing, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 319, 128599, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128599.
24. Gouda, K.C., Singh, P., P, N. et al. (2021). Assessment of Air Pollution Status During COVID-19 Lockdown (March–May 2020) over Bangalore City in India. Environ Monit Assess 193, 395 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09177-w
25. Goren, A.Y., Genisoglu, M., Okten, H.E., Sofuoglu, S.C. (2021). Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Ambient Air Quality and Excess Risk of Particulate Matter in Türkiye, Environmental Challenges, Volume 5, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100239.
26. He, C., Hong, S., Zhang, L., Mu, H., Xin, A., Zhou, Y., Liu, J., Liu, N., Su, Y., Tian, Y., Ke, B., Wang, Y., Yang, L. (2021). Global, Continental, and National Variation in PM2.5, O3, and NO2 Concentrations during the Early 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown, Atmospheric Pollution Research, 12(3), Pages 136-145, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2021.02.002.
27. Hu, M., Chen, Z., Cui, H., Wang, T., Zhang, C., Yun, K. (2021). Air Pollution and Critical Air Pollutant Assessment During and after COVID-19 Lockdowns: Evidence from pandemic hotspots in China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and India, Atmospheric Pollution Research, 12(2), Pages 316-329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2020.11.013.
28. Islam, M., Chowdhury, T.A. (2021). Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic-İnduced Lockdown (General Holiday) on Air Quality of Dhaka City. Environ Monit Assess 193, 343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09120-z
29. Jain, S., Sharma, T. (2020). Social and Travel Lockdown İmpact Considering Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on Air Quality in Megacities of India: Present Benefits, Future Challenges and Way Forward. Aerosol Air Qual Res 20:1222–1236.
30. Ju, M.J., Oh, J., Choi, Y.H. (2021). Changes in Air Pollution Levels after COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea. Sci Total Environ 750:141521
31. Kaner Tohtak, G., and Çalık, G. (2020). COVID-19 Pandemi Sürecinde Beslenme Yönetimi. İç Hastalıkları Hemşireliği ve COVID19. 1. Baskı. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; p.19-24.
32. Koyuncu, A., Sarı, D., Sarı, G., Şimşek, C., Akel, Ü. (2023). COVID-19 Pandemi Öncesi ve COVID-19 Pandemi Döneminde 3. Basamak Sağlık Kuruluşuna Başvuran Kişilerde Kronik Obstrüktif Akciğer Hastalığı ve Astım Vakalarının Sıklıklarının Karşılaştırılması. SABD. 13(1):61-6. https://doi.org/10.33631/sabd.1103591
33. Mahato, S., Pal, S., Ghosh, K.G. (2020). Efect of Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality of the Megacity Delhi, India. Science of the Total Environment, 730:139086. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139086
34. Matci, D.K., Kaplan, G. & Avdan, U. (2022). Changes in Air Quality over Different Land Covers Associated with COVID-19 in Türkiye Aided by GEE. Environ Monit Assess 194, 762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10444-7
35. Mathew, A., Shekar, P.R., Nair, A.T. et al. (2024). Unveiling Urban Air Quality Dynamics during COVID-19: A Sentinel-5P TROPOMI Hotspot Analysis. Sci Rep 14, 21624. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72276-4
36. Menut, L., Bessagnet, B., Siour, G., Mailler, S., Pennel, R., Cholakian, A. (2020). Impact of Lockdown Measures to Combat Covid-19 on Air Quality Over Western Europe. Science of the Total Environment, 741:140426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140426
37. Kara, Y., Dursun, Ş., Toros, H. (2020). Assessment of Air Pollution in Trabzon During COVID-19 Measures. Journal of Research in Atmospheric Science, 2(1), pp. 1-6.
38. Orak, N.H., Özdemir, O. (2021). The impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on PM10 and SO2 Concentrations and Association with Human Mobility Across Türkiye, Environmental Research, 197, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111018
39. Ozbay, B., Koc, Y. (2021). Impact of Covid-19 lock-down Period on Variations of Air Pollutants Around an İndustrialized City of Türkiye, Izmit, Environmental Forensics. https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2021.1892882.
40. Perrone, M.R., Romano, S., De Maria, G. et al. (2022). Simultaneous Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 and Bacterial Profiles from the Air of Hospital Environments with COVID-19-Affected Patients. Aerobiologia 38, 391–412. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-022-09754-7
41. Rathore DS, Nagda C, Shaktawat BS, Kain T, Chouhan CS, Purohit R, Harish, Khangarot RK, Nagda G, Jhala LS. (2021). COVID-19 Lockdown: A Boon in Boosting the Air Quality of Major Indian Metropolitan Cities. Aerobiologia (Bologna). 2021;37(1):79-103. doi: 10.1007/s10453-020-09673-5.
42. Rita, E., Chizoo, E., Cyril, U.S. (2021). Sustaining COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Era Air Pollution Impact Through Utilization of more Renewable Energy Resources, Heliyon, 7(7), ISSN 2405-8440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07455.
43. Rodríguez-Sánchez, A., Vivanco, M.G., Theobald, M.R., Martín, F. (2022). Estimating the Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pollutant Emissions in Europe, Atmospheric Pollution Research, 13(5), 101388, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2022.101388.
44. Saha, L., Kumar, A., Kumar, S., Korstad, J., Srivastava, S., Bauddh, K. (2022). The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Global Air Quality: A Review. Environmental Sustainability 5, 5–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42398-021-00213-6.
45. Sahraei, M.A., Kuşkapan, E., Çodur, M.Y. (2021). Impact of Covid-19 on Public Transportation Usage and Ambient Air Quality in Türkiye. Traffic&Transportation, 33(2), pp.179-191.
46. Tekin, A. (2021). Tarihten Günümüze Epidemiler, Pandemiler ve Ekonomik Sonuçları. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi (40), 330-355.
47. Tekin, Ö.F. (2021). Evaluation of air pollutants (PM10 and SO2) in the First Year of the COVID-19: A city Sample from Türkiye. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 10(01), 041–047. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.1.0130.
48. Toksoy, S., Atalay, A. (2021). Assessing the Impact of Covıd-19 Pandemic on Urban Transportatıon and Air Quality in Istanbul. II. Internatıonal Covıd-19 And Current Issues Congress Proceeding Book, pp.287-297. In Turkish.
49. Topuz, M., Karabulut, M. (2021). Occurred Change in Air Pollution Parameters in the Process of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Measures: Example of the Eastern Mediterranean. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education (IGGE), 44, 428-444. In Turkish.
50. Tunҫ, D.Ҫ., Toros, H. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Air Quality in the city of Adana, Türkiye. Journal of Research in Atmospheric Science, 2(2), pp.46-50,
51. T.R. Ministry of Interior, (2020). 17-19 Nisan Tarihleri Arasında 30 Büyükşehir ve Zonguldak İl Sınırları İçerisinde Sokağa Çıkma Yasağı. In Turkish. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.icisleri.gov.tr/17-19-nisan-tarihleri-arasinda-30-buyuksehir-ve-zonguldak-il-sinirlari-icerisinde-sokaga-cikma-yasagi
52. Ulutaş, K., Abujayyab, S.K., & Amr, S.A. (2021). Evaluation of the Major Air Pollutants Levels and its Interactions with Meteorological Parameters in Ankara. Journal of Engineering Sciences and Design, 9 (4), 1284-1295.
53. Ulutaş, K., Alkarkhi, A. F., Abujayyab, S. K., & Abu Amr, S. S. (2022). Multivariate Analysis for Air Contamination and Meteorological Parameters in Zonguldak, Turkey. Jordan University of Science and Technology, 16(4).
54. Ulutaş, K., Abujayyab, S. K., Abu Amr, S. S., Alkarkhi, A. F., & Duman, S. (2023). The Effect of Air Quality Parameters on New COVID-19 Cases Between two Different Climatic and Geographical Regions in Turkey. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 152(1), 801-812.
55. WHO (World Health Organization), (2020). WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
56. WHO, (2021). What are the WHO Air Quality Guidelines? Retrieved Jan 27, 2025, from https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/what-are-the-who-air-quality-guidelines
57. T.R. Ministry of Health-COVID-19 Information Platform. In Turkish. Retrieved June 14, 2022, from https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/TR-66935/genel-koronavirus-tablosu.html#
58. Yılmaz, A. (2021). COVID-19 Pandemic Stay Home Practice: its effect on Kütahya Air Quality. ESTUDAM Public Health Journal. 6(2):123-9.
59. Zhang, Y., Zhang, C., Liu, Z. et al. (2023). Air Pollution Reduction during COVID-19 Lockdown in China: A Sustainable İmpact Assessment for Future Cities Development. City Built Enviro, 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44213-023-00013-0