TY  - JOUR
AU  - Belis, Claudio A.
AU  - Djatkov, Djordje
AU  - Toceva, Martina
AU  - Knezevic, Jasmina
AU  - Djukanovic, Gordana
AU  - Stefanovska, Aneta
AU  - Golubov, Nikola
AU  - Jovic, Biljana
AU  - Gavros, Andreas
PY  - 2025
UR  - https://omorika.sfb.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1539
AB  - The effect of COVID-19 lockdown (LD) on many ambient air pollutants (NO,
NO2, PM2.5, PM10, O3 and SO2) was assessed for the first time in the Western Balkans
with an innovative approach that evaluates a variety of factors including the stringency
of the LD measures, the type of location, the pollution sources, the correlation with traffic
fluxes and the meteorology. To that end, observations from 10 urban sites were compared
with historical time series. The time window 1 February–30 May 2020 was classified in
sub-periods on the basis of the stringency of the circulation restrictions. NO2 and O3 are the
pollutants most affected by restrictions to population circulation due to lockdown during
the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and are well correlated with traffic fluxes. A
reduction in fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations is observed in all sites
only during the full LD periods, while the relation between SO2 average and maximum
hourly concentrations and LD periods in industrial and traffic sites vary from site to site.
The reduction in NO2 concentrations during the LD resulted in a reduction in mortality
associated with air pollution in the largest cities, while the interpretation of the changes in
O3 and particulate matter is less clear.
T2  - Atmosphere
T1  - Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans
EP  - 15
IS  - 90
SP  - 1
VL  - 16
DO  - 10.3390/atmos16010090
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Belis, Claudio A. and Djatkov, Djordje and Toceva, Martina and Knezevic, Jasmina and Djukanovic, Gordana and Stefanovska, Aneta and Golubov, Nikola and Jovic, Biljana and Gavros, Andreas",
year = "2025",
abstract = "The effect of COVID-19 lockdown (LD) on many ambient air pollutants (NO,
NO2, PM2.5, PM10, O3 and SO2) was assessed for the first time in the Western Balkans
with an innovative approach that evaluates a variety of factors including the stringency
of the LD measures, the type of location, the pollution sources, the correlation with traffic
fluxes and the meteorology. To that end, observations from 10 urban sites were compared
with historical time series. The time window 1 February–30 May 2020 was classified in
sub-periods on the basis of the stringency of the circulation restrictions. NO2 and O3 are the
pollutants most affected by restrictions to population circulation due to lockdown during
the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and are well correlated with traffic fluxes. A
reduction in fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations is observed in all sites
only during the full LD periods, while the relation between SO2 average and maximum
hourly concentrations and LD periods in industrial and traffic sites vary from site to site.
The reduction in NO2 concentrations during the LD resulted in a reduction in mortality
associated with air pollution in the largest cities, while the interpretation of the changes in
O3 and particulate matter is less clear.",
journal = "Atmosphere",
title = "Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans",
pages = "15-1",
number = "90",
volume = "16",
doi = "10.3390/atmos16010090"
}

Belis, C. A., Djatkov, D., Toceva, M., Knezevic, J., Djukanovic, G., Stefanovska, A., Golubov, N., Jovic, B.,& Gavros, A.. (2025). Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans. in Atmosphere, 16(90), 1-15.
https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16010090

Belis CA, Djatkov D, Toceva M, Knezevic J, Djukanovic G, Stefanovska A, Golubov N, Jovic B, Gavros A. Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans. in Atmosphere. 2025;16(90):1-15.
doi:10.3390/atmos16010090 .

Belis, Claudio A., Djatkov, Djordje, Toceva, Martina, Knezevic, Jasmina, Djukanovic, Gordana, Stefanovska, Aneta, Golubov, Nikola, Jovic, Biljana, Gavros, Andreas, "Analysis of COVID-19 Lockdown to Understand Air Pollution Processes and Their Impacts on Health: A Case Study in the Western Balkans" in Atmosphere, 16, no. 90 (2025):1-15,
https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16010090 . .