Ambient nitrogen dioxide pollution and spreadability of COVID-19 in Chinese cities

Ye Yao; Jinhua Pan; Zhixi Liu; Xia Meng; Weidong Wang; Haidong Kan; Weibing Wang

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111421

Ambient nitrogen dioxide pollution and spreadability of COVID-19 in Chinese cities

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2021 Jan 15:208:111421. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111421. Epub 2020 Sep 30.

Authors

Ye Yao¹, Jinhua Pan², Zhixi Liu², Xia Meng³, Weidong Wang³, Haidong Kan⁴, Weibing Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biostatics, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
² Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
³ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

This study aims to explore the relationship between ambient NO₂ levels and the transmission ability (basic reproductive number, R₀) of COVID-19 in 63 Chinese cities. After adjustment for temperature and relative humidity, R₀ was positively associated with NO₂ concentration at city level. The temporal analysis within Hubei province indicated that all the 11 Hubei cities (except Xianning City) had significant positive correlations between NO₂ concentration (with 12-day time lag) and R₀ (r > 0.51, p < 0.005). Since the association between ambient NO₂ and R₀ indicated NO₂ may increase underlying risk of infection in the transmission process of COVID-19. In addition, NO₂ is also an indicator of traffic-related air pollution, the association between NO₂ and COVID-19's spreadability suggest that reduced population movement may have reduced the spread of the SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Ambient nitrogen dioxide; COVID-19; Impact factors; SARS-CoV-2.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / analysis*
COVID-19 / epidemiology*
COVID-19 / transmission*
China / epidemiology
Cities
Environmental Exposure / analysis
Environmental Exposure / prevention & control
Humans
Nitrogen Dioxide / analysis*
Particulate Matter / analysis*
SARS-CoV-2
Temperature

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter
Nitrogen Dioxide