Exposure to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) from Vehicular Emission Could Increase the COVID-19 Pandemic Fatality in India: A Perspective

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 105; no. 2; pp. 198 - 204
• Main Authors: Chakraborty, Parthasarathi, Jayachandran, Saranya, Padalkar, Prasad, Sitlhou, Lamjahao, Chakraborty, Sucharita, Kar, Rajarshi, Bhaumik, Swastika, Srivastava, Medhavi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air Pollution - analysis; Aquatic Pollution; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - mortality; Coronaviruses; Correlation analysis; COVID-19; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Exposure; Fatalities; Fossil fuels; Fuels; Homelessness; Humans; India - epidemiology; Internet resources; Nitrogen dioxide; Nitrogen Dioxide - analysis; Pandemics; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - mortality; Pollutants; Pollution; Poverty; Roadsides; Soil Science & Conservation; Statistical analysis; Transportation; Vehicle emissions; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Viruses; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; India; Emission from transportation; Atmospheric NO; COVID-19 pandemic in India; Pollution and COVID-19; Atmospheric NO2
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-020-02937-3

The corona virus-2019 (COVID-19) is ravaging the whole world. Scientists have been trying to acquire more knowledge on different aspects of COVID-19. This study attempts to determine the effects of COVID-19, on a large population, which has already been persistently exposed to various atmospheric pollutants in different parts of India. Atmospheric pollutants and COVID-19 data, obtained from online resources, were used in this study. This study has shown strong positive correlation between the concentration of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and both the absolute number of COVID-19 deaths (r = 0.79, p  < 0.05) and case fatality rate (r = 0.74, p  < 0.05) in India. Statistical analysis of the amount of annual fossil fuels consumption in transportation, and the annual average concentration of the atmospheric PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , in the different states of India, suggest that one of the main sources of atmospheric NO 2 is from fossil fuels combustion in transportation. It is suggested that homeless, poverty-stricken Indians, hawkers, roadside vendors, and many others who are regularly exposed to vehicular exhaust, may be at a higher risk in the COVID-19 pandemic.