TY - JOUR
T1 - The concentration of BTEX in selected urban areas of Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown
AU - Hawari, Nor Syamimi Sufiera Limi
AU - Latif, Mohd Talib
AU - Hamid, Haris Hafizal Abd
AU - Leng, Teoh Hwai
AU - Othman, Murnira
AU - Mohtar, Anis Asma Ahmad
AU - Azhari, Azliyana
AU - Dominick, Doreena
N1 - Funding Information:
This project is partially funded by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Research University Grant (DIP-2019-006). Many thanks to the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) for air quality and meteorological variables data. Special thanks to Dr. Rose Norman for proofreading this manuscript.
Funding Information:
This project is partially funded by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Research University Grant ( DIP-2019-006 ). Many thanks to the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) for air quality and meteorological variables data. Special thanks to Dr. Rose Norman for proofreading this manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) are air pollutants that harm human health. This study aims to identify BTEX concentrations before the lockdown known as the Movement Control Order was imposed (BMCO), during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), and then during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). These orders were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The study utilised data measured by the continuous monitoring of BTEX using online gas chromatography instruments located at three urban area stations. The results showed that the BTEX concentrations reduced by between −38% and −46% during the MCO compared to the BMCO period. The reduction of human mobility during the MCO and CMCO influenced the lower BTEX concentrations recorded at a station within the Kuala Lumpur area. The results of the BTEX diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis showed that the major source of BTEX, especially during the BMCO and CMCO periods, was motor vehicle emissions. Further investigation, using correlation analysis and polar plots, showed that the BTEX concentrations were also influenced by meteorological variables such as wind speed, air temperature and relative humidity.
AB - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) are air pollutants that harm human health. This study aims to identify BTEX concentrations before the lockdown known as the Movement Control Order was imposed (BMCO), during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), and then during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). These orders were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The study utilised data measured by the continuous monitoring of BTEX using online gas chromatography instruments located at three urban area stations. The results showed that the BTEX concentrations reduced by between −38% and −46% during the MCO compared to the BMCO period. The reduction of human mobility during the MCO and CMCO influenced the lower BTEX concentrations recorded at a station within the Kuala Lumpur area. The results of the BTEX diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis showed that the major source of BTEX, especially during the BMCO and CMCO periods, was motor vehicle emissions. Further investigation, using correlation analysis and polar plots, showed that the BTEX concentrations were also influenced by meteorological variables such as wind speed, air temperature and relative humidity.
KW - BTEX
KW - COVID-19
KW - Motor vehicle
KW - Movement control order
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135886878&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101238
DO - 10.1016/j.uclim.2022.101238
M3 - Article
C2 - 35855931
AN - SCOPUS:85135886878
VL - 45
JO - Urban Climate
JF - Urban Climate
SN - 2212-0955
M1 - 101238
ER -
