Quarantine improves air quality in Cuenca
The quarantine resulting from the curfew due to the Covid-19 pandemic is not only helping to slow down the frequency of infections by the coronavirus, but it has also improved the quality of the air we breathe, which is not less at times when we fight a virus. that affects our airways and our lungs.
"The University of Azuay, through the Institute of Studies of the Sectional Regime of Ecuador (IERSE), together with the Public Company of Mobility, Transit and Transport of the Municipality of Cuenca (EMOV EP), is analyzing the impacts on the air quality in Cuenca as a result of the health emergency associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures applied by the Ecuadorian government, ”reported Chester Sellers, researcher and professor at the UDA.
In the framework of this analysis, changes have been evidenced, especially in carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 2.5 micron particulate matter (PM2.5), that register visibly lower values in relation to previous years.
"These are the main pollutants found in the atmosphere and based on these elements the air quality index (ICA) is calculated, which is a dimensionless value whose range is between 0 and 500 points, which allows us to evaluate the quality of the air we breathe in the city and its effects on our health ”, explains Sellers.
These gases have different effects. PM2.5, for example, being a very fine powder, enters directly into the lungs and pulmonary albeoli, causing severe damage to our body.
Aware that at the end of quarantine the air quality index may undergo changes again, the researcher and professor at the UDA suggests changing certain habits:
"We should, by common sense, avoid excessive use of vehicles, look for alternative means of mobility, the simple fact of walking to the corner store instead of going by vehicle, actions as simple as these have a great impact on anthropogenic emissions to the air ”.
In quarantine, we can also adopt certain measures such as recycling and optimizing the use of basic resources such as water and electricity.
For more information, all variations on the air quality index and other useful data can be followed on the IERSE website https://ierse.uazuay.edu.ec/
