Time Series Satellite and Observational Data for Assessment of Urban

Air Pollution and Climate Dynamics Impacts on COVID-19

transmission in Bucharest

DAN SAVASTRU, MARIA A. ZORAN*, ROXANA SAVASTRU, MARINA N. TAUTAN,

DANIEL V. TENCIU1

1National Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics,

Bucharest- Magurele,

ROMANIA

*Corresponding Author

Abstract: - This study conducts a complex analysis to evaluate urban air pollution and climate dynamics

impacts on COVID-19 viral infection incidence and mortality in Bucharest metropolitan city in Romania. It is

motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic occurrence and environmental/health challenges caused by increasing

urbanization in Bucharest. This paper presents the temporal patterns characteristics of the main air pollutants

PM2.5 and PM10 (inhalable particulate matter with aerodynamic size less than or equal to 2.5 µm and 10 µm,

respectively) as well as nitrogen dioxide-NO2, ozone-O3, sulfur dioxide-SO2, and carbon monoxide-CO during

the period March 2020–March 2022 through the integration of time-series surface observation and satellite

data. Through the employing of descriptive statistics and regression models for multiple datasets of air

pollutants and climate-related parameters such as air temperature at 2m height (T), relative humidity (RH),

wind speed intensity (w), and direction, Planetary Boundary Layer height-PBL, and surface solar irradiance-SI,

this study found that seasonal variation of aerosol loading parameters (PM2.5 and PM10) over the investigated

metropolitan city have a direct impact on COVID-19 spreading. Nevertheless, additional environmental and

epidemiological investigations are required to test the causality of air pollution and climate seasonality impacts

on COVID-19 seasonality and its severity.

Key-Words: - Time series satellite and in-situ data, COVID-19, Air pollution, Climate variables, Bucharest,

Romania.

Received: March 12, 2022. Revised: August 25, 2023. Accepted: September 27, 2023. Available online: October 26, 2023.

1 Introduction

From 26 February 2020 to 4 May 2023, the

Pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),

caused more than 68,089 death people and infected

more than 3,393,902 people in Romania. Bucharest

city, reported 16.98% of all confirmed COVID-19

cases and 8.85% of all deaths, [1]. Severe Acute

Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-

CoV2), a pathogen with a high risk of transmission

and infectious potential promotes COVID-19, the

worldwide pandemic Coronavirus disease. Although

there are some similarities between the associated

invasive pneumococcal disease and previous

outbreaks of coronaviruses (SARS-CoV in 2003 and

the MERS-CoV in 2012} in terms of nosocomial

and super-spreading events, there are also some

differences in its genomic and phenotypic structure

that could have a high impact on their

pathogenesis), [2], [3]. Knowing the COVID-19

pandemic risk in relation to air pollution in the huge,

densely populated area of Bucharest is crucial for

the potential of future various viral infections

developing, with unforeseeable multiwaves. The

persistent levels of air pollution in the Bucharest

metropolitan region continue to pose a serious threat

to the environment, and with an average PM2.5

concentration of 16.4 µg/m3, Bucharest is included

in the category of European cities with poor air

quality, [4], [5]. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) seems to be

primarily produced by industrial sources,

particularly wood and coal consumption and vehicle

exhaust emissions representing the biggest drivers

of air pollution from anthropogenic sources. Both

sources produce coarse particulate matter with a

diameter of 10 µm (PM10) and fine particulate

matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm (PM2.5). For large

cities, experimental studies suggested that the

collected PM2.5 has been generated by industrial

and automobile exhaust, along with some biogenic

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

hygroscopic particles and multi-shape aggregates.

The aggregates revealed seasonal patterns, with dust

and biogenic particles prevailing in the spring and

carbonaceous particles predominant in the autumn

and winter, [6], [7]. Particulate matter PM2.5 and

PM10, which act as active viral vectors of the

pandemic COVID -19 disease disseminating could

decrease the respiratory system immunity when they

are possible carriers of SARS-CoV-2 virions, [8],

[9]. As a major environmental risk factor for

morbidity and lethality from cardiorespiratory

diseases, both long-term and short-term exposure to

outdoor air pollution may affect the incidence and

severity of COVID-19, [10], [11]. The variability of

climate parameters (air temperature, relative

humidity, wind speed and direction, Planetary

Boundary Layer height, and surface solar

irradiance) at both local and regional scales, as well

as synoptic meteorological circulation, affects the

levels of outdoor local or regional air pollutants or

transboundary levels, [12], [13]. Through synergy

use of time series satellite and observational data

and statistical analysis, this study investigates the

association between daily exposure to air

pollutants PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO and

COVID-19 incidence and mortality, under climate

parameters seasonality during March 2020 and

March 2022 in Bucharest metropolitan area. The

observed differences in the severity of COVID-19

multiwaves are explained using air pollution,

climate, and anomalous synoptic meteorological

patterns.

2 Materials and Methods

2.1 Study Site

The urban metropolitan region of Bucharest (Figure

1) capital of Romania is located in the South –

Eastern part of the country, and South-Eastern part

of Europe, being bounded by latitudes 44.33 ON and

44.66 ON and 25.90 OE and 26.20 OE longitudes. It

has about 1.8 million inhabitants and a surface area

of 240 km2. The study test area covers the city of

Bucharest and its surrounding periurban areas,

which constitute one of the most air-polluted cities

in Europe and have highly complex built, green, and

blue environments. Air pollution is mainly produced

by industrial activity, traffic-related use of old cars,

or heating of fossil fuels, being characterized by

high PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, CO, and SO2 levels,

sometimes exceeding standard admitted limits for

Romania, [14]. Its climate is temperate continental,

with Western European Climate influences,

Mediterranean Cyclones, and the East-European

Anticyclone. Five COVID-19 waves were recorded

in Bucharest during the entire investigation period

(March 2020 to March 2022): the first COVID-19

wave (1 March 2020-15 June 2020), which

coincided with a total lockdown (15 March 2020-15

May 2020; the pre-second COVID-19 wave (15 July

2020-30 September 2020), which was triggered by

social and tourist activities; the second COVID-19

wave (1 October 2020-31 January 2021); the third

COVID-19 wave (1 February 2021-1 June 2021);

the fourth COVID-19 wave (1 September 2021-21

December 2021); the fifth COVID-19 wave (22

December 2021- 31 March 2022). If many semi-

lockdown measures were set during the second,

third, and fourth COVID-19 waves to limit the

spread of SARS-CoV-2 infectious agents, the

minimum limitations have been implemented during

the fifth COVID-19 wave.

Fig. 1: Bucharest test site, capital of Romania

2.2 Data Used

Official websites, [1], [15], have supplied time

series data for the examined period of March 2020–

March 2022 for COVID-19 Daily New Cases

(DNC) and COVID-19 Daily New Deaths (DND).

Also, websites, [16], [17] provided daily average

time series data on the measured levels of PM2.5

and PM10 air pollutants for the

Bucharest metropolitan region. Time series of

average daily meteorological data were collected

from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for

Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2)

at, [18], and Climate Change Service of Copernicus

(C3S) data, [19]. These data included air

temperature at 2 meters height (T), air relative

humidity (RH), air pressure (p), wind speed

intensity (w), and direction.

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

2.3 Statistical Analysis

Spearman cross-correlation coefficient was selected

as a proper measure of the strength of the linear

relationship between pairs of two variables. To

compare each air pollutant data with data of climate

signals, all the data have been standardized. For

better correlation analysis, also a simple regression

analysis (quadratic model) was used. This study

used also non-parametric test coefficients, and linear

regression analysis to determine the similarity

between two-time series data of the averaged daily

air pollutants, climate observables (air temperature

and relative humidity, wind speed, surface solar

irradiance Planetary Boundary Layer heights), and

COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Bucharest.

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Tests of Normality have been

carried out to determine whether or not the averaged

daily time-series data sets were normal. Spearman

rank correlation was chosen to determine the linear

correlation between the significant variables: (1) air

pollutants PM2.5, PM10 concentrations, climate

variables, and (2) COVID-19 incidence and

mortality rates because the daily new COVID-19

cases (DNC) and daily new COVID-19 deaths

(DND) have a non-normal distribution. Microsoft

Windows version 2021 of the ORIGIN 10.0

software was employed.

3 Results and Discussion

To determine the impacts of air pollution, weather

conditions, and climate change on COVID-19

incidence and mortality in the Bucharest

metropolitan region from March 2020 to March

2022, when five COVID-19 waves were recorded,

we carried out an extensive study.

3.1 Role of Air Pollutants on COVID-19

The daily average temporal pattern of air pollutants

PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO for

Bucharest metropolitan city are illustrated in Figure

2 together with their temporal distribution for the

five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic that had

been investigated from March 2020 to March 2022.

Substantial differences exist in the temporal patterns

among several pollutants. However, all pollutants

had relatively higher concentrations in the

metropolitan areas of Bucharest. The successful

implementation of total or partial lockdown

restrictions to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the

Bucharest region may be responsible for the

significantly decreased values of PM2.5 and PM10

concentrations, especially during the first and third

COVID-19 waves. However, the improved urban air

quality, which is supported by numerous other

studies for the lockdown and pandemic intervals,

could be beneficial for both the urban air quality and

human health, [20], [21], [22], [23].

The increased concentrations of daily average

PM2.5 and PM10 during the second (PM2.5 of

24.77± 11.15 µg/m3; and PM10 of 72.58±27.40

µg/m3), the fourth (PM2.5 of 28.21±10.53 µg/m3;

PM10 of 60.59±24.16 µg/m3), and the fifth ( PM2.5

of 25.13±11.65µg/m3; PM10 of 67.72±22.82

µg/m3) COVID-19 waves in Bucharest may explain

high numbers of the recorded daily new COVID-19

(DNC) cases and deaths (DND), [13]. Daily

COVID-19 DNC and DND cases were weekly

positively correlated with daily average ground

levels of PM2.5 (rDNC= 0.35, p0.01; rDND= 0.37,

p0.01) and, respectively, with PM10 concentrations

(rDNC= 0.34, p0.01; rDND= 0.39, p0.01), based to

a Spearman rank correlation analysis of the

pandemic period investigated between March 2020

and March 2022.

090 180 270 360 450 540 630 720 810 900

132

4000

8000

100

120

180

100

150

250

500

750

090 180 270 360 450 540 630 720 810 900

PM2.5

Day during March 2020 - March 2022

PM2.5 g/m3

DNC

DNC BUCHAREST

PM10

PM10 g/m3

O3 g/m3

NO2

NO2 g/m3

SO2

SO2 g/m3

CO g/m3

Fig. 2: Temporal patterns of the daily average air

pollutants and DNC COVID-19 cases in Bucharest

Our results are consistent with numerous studies

that identified that urban air pollution (PM2.5,

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

PM10, O2, NO2, SO2, CO, etc.) coming from traffic-

related products or other anthropogenic sources can

trigger oxidative stress, resulting in the production

of free radicals, which are capable of damaging the

immune and the cardio-respiratory system by

altering the host's resistance to bacterial and viral

infections, [24], [25], [26]. Additionally, this study

found a positive relationship between ambient air

pollution levels in Bucharest and COVID-19

incidence and mortality in the general population.

However, the entire lockdown measures used during

the first COVID-19 wave have led to an increase in

O3 levels and a decrease in PM2.5, PM10, NO2,

SO2, and CO pollutants levels. The high amounts of

particulate matter and gaseous pollutants dispersed

in the lower atmosphere can have a dominant impact

on the fog-haze formation process during

atmospheric inversion periods. Therefore, adverse

diffusion conditions might result in an increase in

the microbial activity levels in atmospheric aerosols

including coronaviruses.

3.2 Climate Variability Effects on COVID-19

Globalization and climate change may promote the

spread of viral pathogens and the emergence of

pandemics, especially for newly developing

infectious illnesses like the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-

19) virus, which caused a serious worldwide health

catastrophe. This article focused on the relationship

between climate seasonality and COVID-19

incidence and mortality to better understand the

impact of weather variables on the COVID-19

spread in Bucharest. The significant negative

relationships between COVID-19 incidence and

mortality and the selected climatic variables

(Planetary Boundary Layer height, air temperature T

at 2m height, and solar surface irradiance SI) are

presented in Table 1. For air pressure and relative

humidity-RH, positive relationships between

COVID-19 DNC and DND have been reported

(r=0.25 and r=0.31, respectively). Additionally, this

study revealed strong associations between air low

temperatures and solar surface irradiance associated

with elevated COVID-19 daily new incident cases

and mortality, consistent with other most recent

studies' findings for European cities, [27], [28].

Additionally, relative humidity plays a significant

role in the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, while

wind speed, intensity, and direction have a weak

negative correlation with the spread of the COVID-

19 virus. However, there is a strong seasonal

correlation between the incidence and mortality of

COVID-19 and the seasonal patterns of climate

variables. The first COVID-19 wave's relatively low

intensity in comparison to other European cities

may be justified by the high levels of daily PBL

heights of (1607.19 ± 526.06) m, that had been

observed in the Bucharest metropolitan area, [29],

[30], [31]. High rates of infectivity in Bucharest

may be attributed to unusual daily low average PBL

heights observed during the second, fourth, and fifth

waves, which were (538.74 ± 293.26) m, (920.23 ±

603.25) m, and (846.74 ± 463.01) m, respectively.

The PBL height meteorological parameter, which is

related to the vertical mixing dynamics and dilution

or accumulation of pollutants and bioaerosols

(bacteria, fungi, and viruses) near the ground level,

is involved in COVID-19 transmission, especially in

large urban centers, [32], [33].

Table 1. Spearman rank correlation coefficients and

p values between daily COVID-19-incidence cases,

and daily climate parameters during the entire

analyzed period March 2020- March 2022. * p<0.01

COVID

-19

PBL

(m)

(oC)

(%)

(km/h)

(W/m2)

DNC

-0.70*

-0.52*

0.40*

-0.16*

-0.73*

DND

-0.72*

-0.63*

0.46*

-0.14*

-0.74*

All of the study's findings show a strong

relationship with meteorological factors. This paper

concludes that despite climate plays a significant

role in COVID-19 transmission, especially in

temperate regions like Bucharest, it cannot

completely stop the outbreak as has recently been

seen on the second, fourth, and fifth waves when

implemented restrictions have been reduced.

3.3 Synoptically Atmospheric Circulation

Impacts on COVID-19 Waves

The viral COVID-19 disease is associated with both

mesoscale and synoptic scale meteorology.

However, previous studies for some European

metropolitan areas have found limited association

between synoptic variables and the reported number

of COVID-19 incidences and mortality. Hence there

is an urgent need to establish a clearer association

with SARS-CoV-2 transmission in relation to air

pollution and the most relevant synoptic

meteorological variables to adopt proper strategies

during pandemic events. The National Center for

Atmospheric Research (NCAR)/NCEP provided

daily time series for vertical wind velocity (Omega

(Pascal/s) at 850 hPa data and maps, at around 1.4

km above the ground level over Bucharest

metropolitan city as compared to the climatology

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

average (1981–2010) period, during the entire

analyzed pandemic period (March 2020–March

2022). At the mesoscale level, it has been found that

before and during each COVID-19 wave, downward

airflows identified by positive omega values in

composite average surface maps at 850 mb were

associated with anomalous anticyclonic stationary

conditions. These conditions may have a detrimental

effect on urban air quality and promote the spread of

COVID-19 disease when they are prevalent in

Bucharest metropolitan city, [34]. Figure 3 shows

the Omega surface chart composite mean (Pa/s) at

850 mb over Romania during the second COVID-19

wave in Bucharest when high numbers of daily

COVID-19 incidence and fatality DNC and DND

cases had been reported before the vaccination

campaign. Due to its position in a large depression-

like structure known as the Romanian Plain,

surrounded by barriers of the Carpathians

Mountains, the Bucharest metropolitan area is

affected by strong tropospheric anticyclonic

systems. Because Bucharest city usually displays

high concentrations of PM under several

atmospheric situations, the recorded anticyclonic

systems affect it during the late fall and winter

seasons, which favor the accumulation of high

levels of aerosols including virus-laden aerosols

near the ground, which explains the high rates of

viral disease transmission.

Fig. 3: Omega surface chart composite mean (Pa/s)

at 850 mb over Romania during the second COVID-

19 wave in Bucharest

4 Conclusion

This study offers convincing evidence of the impact

of COVID-19 outcomes during Bucharest's five

pandemic waves on exposure to air pollution and

climate variability. The initiatives and resources

needed to improve the city of Bucharest's air

quality, particularly in relation to pandemic

occurrences, might be prioritized using the

decreasing trends in air pollution that were detected

during the COVID-19 total lockdown. Additionally,

it highlighted the climatic factors that influence air

pollution trends, COVID-19 incidence, and COVID-

19 mortality. The findings of this study demonstrate

that the daily new COVID-19 cases and deaths in

the Bucharest region were influenced by climate and

air quality variables, and they can help public

decision-makers by offering insightful information

about the COVID-19 pandemic and other viral

infections. This study provides important

information on the detrimental effects of urban air

pollution associated with climate variables on

people's immune system reduction and viral

infections, which is in line with the United Nations

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda,

namely Goals 3 (Good health and well-being), 11

(Sustainable cities and communities), and 13

(Climate action), [35].

Acknowledgments:

This work was supported by the Romanian Ministry

of Research, Innovation and Digitalization: through

Program 1- Contract no. 18PFE/30.12.2021;

National Research Development and Innovation

Plan 2022-2027, project no. PN 23 05; Grant

CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-PCE-

2021-0585; Romanian Ministry of European

Investment and Projects & Romanian Ministry of

Research, Innovation and Digitalization, Contract

no.8/1.2.1 PTI ap.2/17.02.2023.

References:

[1] Worldometer Info. www.worldometers.info/.

(Accessed Date: 12/10/2023)

[2] World Health Organization WHO. Science

Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and Potential

Airborne Transmission, 2020,

https://www.who.int/news-

room/commentaries/detail/transmission-of-

sars-cov-2-implications-for-infection-

prevention-precautions. (Accessed Date:

12/10/2023)

BUCHAREST

ROMANIA

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

[3] European Environment Agency EEA,

www.eea.europa.eu/themes/air/urban-air-

quality/2022. (Accessed Date: 12/10/2023)

[4] Huang C., Wang Y., Li X., Ren L., Zhao J.,

Hu Y., Zhang L., Fan G., Xu J., Gu

X. , Cheng Z., Yu T. , Xia J., Wei Y., Wu

W. , Xie X., Yin W., Li H., Liu

M., Xiao Y., Gao H. , Guo L., Xie J., Wang

G. , Jiang R. , Gao Z. , Jin Q., Wang J., Cao B..

Clinical features of patients infected with

2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China.

Lancet 395 (10223), 497–506, 2020.

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5.

[5] Wang D., Hu B., Hu C., Zhu F., Liu X.,

Zhang J., Wang B., Xiang H., Cheng Z.,

Xiong Y., Zhao Y., Li Y., Wang X., and Peng

Z. Clinical Characteristics of 138

Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel

Coronavirus–Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan,

China. JAMA, 323(11),1061, 2020.

doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.1585.

[6] Li D., Yue W., Gong T., Gao P., Zhang T.,

Luo Y., Wang C.. A comprehensive SERS,

SEM and EDX study of individual

atmospheric PM2.5 particles in Chengdu,

China. Science of The Total Environment,

883, 163668, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.16366

[7] Alves C., Evtyugina M., Vicente E., Vicente

A., Casotti Rienda I., Sánchez de la Campa A,

Tomé M., Duarte I. PM2.5 chemical

composition and health risks by inhalation

near a chemical complex. Journal of

Environmental Sciences, 124, 860-874, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2022.02.013.

[8] Sarmadi, M.; Moghanddam, V.K.; Dickerson,

A.S.; Martelletti, L.; Association of COVID-

19 distribution with air quality,

sociodemographic factors, and comorbidities:

an ecological study of US states. Air Qual.

Atmos. Health, 14, 455–465, 2021. doi:

10.1007/s11869-020-00949-w.

[9] Jerrett, M.; Nau, C.L.; Young. D.R.; Butler,

R.K.; Batteate, C.M.; Su, J.; Burnett, R.T.;

Kleeman, M.J. Air pollution and meteorology

as risk factors for COVID-19 death in a cohort

from Southern California. Environment

International, 171, 107675, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107675.

[10] Liu Z., Liang Q., Liao H., Yang W., Lu

C.Effects of short-term and long-term

exposure to ambient air pollution and

temperature on long recovery duration in

COVID-19 patients. Environmental Research,

216, Part 4, 114781, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114781.

[11] Mathys T., Teodoro de Souza F., da Silveira

Barcellos D., Molderez I. The relationship

among air pollution, meteorological factors

and COVID-19 in the Brussels Capital

Region. Science of The Total Environment,

857, Part 1, 158933, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.15893

[12] Zoran M., Savastru R., Savastru D., Tautan

M. Peculiar weather patterns effects on air

pollution and COVID-19 spread in Tokyo

metropolis. Environmental Research, 228,

115907, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115907.

[13] Zoran M., Savastru R., Savastru D., TautanM.

Impacts of exposure to air pollution, radon

and climate drivers on the COVID-19

pandemic in Bucharest, Romania: a time

series study. Environmental Research, Part D,

212, 113437, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113437.

[14] EEA 2021, Air quality in Europe 2022,

Report no. 05/2022, doi: 10.2800/488115.

[15] MAI. https://data.gov.ro/dataset/transparenta-

covid (Accessed Date: 2/6/2022)

[16] Copernicus.

https://www.copernicus.eu/en/copernicus-

services/atmosphere (Accessed Date:

12/10/2023)

[17] AQICN.https://aqicn.org/city/bucharest/

(Accessed Date: 12/10/2023)

[18] MERRA. https://www.soda-pro.com/web-

services/meteo-data/merra (Accessed Date:

12/10/2023)

[19] Copernicus. https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/

(Accessed Date: 10/7/2023)

[20] Saharan U.S., Kumar R., Tripathy P., Sateesh

M., Garg J., Sharma S.K., Mandal T.K..

Drivers of air pollution variability during

second wave of COVID-19 in Delhi, India.

Urban Climate 41, 101059, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2021.101059.

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

[21] Orak N. Effect of ambient air pollution and

meteorological factors on the potential

transmission of COVID-19 in Turkey.

Environmental Research, 212 E, 113646,

.2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113646.

[22] Marian B., Yan Y., Chen Z., Lurmann F., Li

K. Gilliland F., Eckel S.P., Garcia E..

Independent associations of short- and long-

term air pollution exposure with COVID-19

mortality among Californians. Environmental

Advances, 9,100280, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2022.100280.

[23] Domingo J., Rovira J. Effects of air pollutants

on the transmission and severity of respiratory

viral infections. Environmental Research 187,

109650, 2020.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109650.

[24] Domingo J., Marquès M, Rovira J. Influence

of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2

on COVID-19 pandemic. A review.

Environmental Research 188, 109861, 2020.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109861.

[25] Wang H., Miao Q., Shen L., Yang Q., Wu Y.,

Wei H., Yin Y., Zhao T., Zhu B., Lu W.

Characterization of the aerosol chemical

composition during the COVID-19 lockdown

period in Suzhou in the Yangtze River Delta,

China. Journal of Environmental Sciences

102, 110-122, 2021.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2020.09.019.

[26] Austin W., Carattini S., Gomez-Mahecha J.,

Pesko M.F. The effects of contemporaneous

air pollution on COVID-19 morbidity and

mortality. Journal of Environmental

Economics and Management, 119, 102815,

2023.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2023.102815.

[27] D'Amico F., Marmiere M., Righetti B.,

Scquizzato T., Zangrillo A., Puglisi R.,

Landoni G. COVID-19 seasonality in

temperate countries. Environmental Research

206, 112614, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112614.

[28] Filonchyk M., Hurynovich V., Yan H. Impact

of Covid-19 lockdown on air quality in the

Poland, Eastern Europe. Environmental

Research 198, 110454, 2021.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110454.

[29] Zoran M., Savastru R., Savastru D., Tautan

M. Assessing the relationship between surface

levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter

impact on COVID-19 in Milan, Italy. Science

of the Total Environment 738, 139825, 2020.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.13982

[30] Ismail I.M.I., Rashid M.I., Altaf N.A., Munir

M. Temperature, humidity and outdoor air

quality indicators influence COVID-19 spread

rate and mortality in major cities of Saudi

Arabia. Environmental Research 204, Part

B, 112071, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112071.

[31] Liu X., Huang J., Li C., hao Y., Wang D.,

Huang Z., Yang K.. The role of seasonality in

the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmental Research 195, 110874, 2021.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.110874.

[32] Weilnhammer, V., Schmid, J., Mittermeier, I.,

Schreiber, F., Jiang, L., Pastuhovic, V., Herr,

C., Heinze, S.. Extreme weather events in

Europe and their health consequences - a

systematic review. Int. J. Hyg. Environ.

Health 233, 113688, 2021.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113688.

[33] Xia X., Zhang K., Yang R., Zhang Y., Xu D.,

Bai K., Guo J. Impact of near-surface

turbulence on PM2.5 concentration in

Chengdu during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Atmospheric Environment 268, 118848, 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2021.1188

48.

[34] Sanchez-Lorenzo A., Vaquero-Martínez J.,

Calb´o J., Wild M., Santurtún A., Lopez-

Bustins J. A., Vaquero J.M., Folini D., Ant´on

M. Anomalous atmospheric circulation favor

the spread of COVID-19 in Europe?

Environmental Research 194, 110626, 2021.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110626.

[35] United Nations. 17 Goals to Transform our

World, 2020.

https://www.un.org/en/exhibits/page/sdgs-17-

goals-transform-world (Accessed Date:

12/10/2023)

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024

Contribution of Individual Authors to the

Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting

Policy)

- Maria Zoran: Conceptualization; Methodology,

Supervision, Writing - review & editing.

- Roxana Savastru: Methodology, Validation,

Review.

- Dan Savastru: Methodology, Validation, Review.

-Marina Tautan: Methodology, Validation.

- Daniel Tenciu: Software.

Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a

Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself

This work was supported by the Romanian Ministry

of Research, Innovation and Digitalization: through

Program 1- Contract no. 18PFE/30.12.2021;

National Research Development and Innovation

Plan 2022-2027, project no. PN 23 05; Grant

CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-PCE-

2021-0585; Romanian Ministry of European

Investment and Projects & Romanian Ministry of

Research, Innovation and Digitalization, Contract

no.8/1.2.1 PTI ap.2/17.02.2023.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)

This article is published under the terms of the

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en

_US

WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ENVIRONMENT and DEVELOPMENT

DOI: 10.37394/232015.2024.20.2

Dan Savastru, Maria A. Zoran,

Roxana Savastru, Marina N. Tautan,

Daniel V. Tenciu

E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 20, 2024