Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research

Air Quality Assessment Before and During COVID-19 Using Sentinel-5P Satellite and Ground Station Data in Ahvaz, Bushehr, and Bandar Abbas

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mokhtar Kavoosi 1
Hossein Mohammed Asgari 2
1 Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources, Khorramshahr University of Marine Sciences and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
2 Department of Environment, Khorramshahr University of Marine Sciences and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
10.34172/jaehr.1437
Abstract
Introduction: The current study investigated temporal variations in six air pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO3, O3, CO in the cities of Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, and Bushehr during 2018–2022, with a focus on the pre- and during-COVID-19 periods.
Methods: SO2, NO2, CO, and O3 data were obtained from the TROPOMI sensor onboard Sentinel-5P (7 × 7 km resolution) using Google Earth Engine (GEE). PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were estimated from Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) data derived from MODIS MCD19A2 (1 km resolution) using a regression model calibrated with ground-based monitoring data. Records with > 30% cloud cover or missing values were excluded, and monthly and annual means were calculated. Satellite observations were bias-corrected via linear regression against ground-based data and downscaled using bilinear interpolation. Inter-city comparisons were conducted using independent t-tests, while pre- vs. during-pandemic differences were assessed using paired t-tests.
Results: Ahvaz recorded the highest mean concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and CO. In most cases, pollutant concentrations were higher before the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for PM2.5 and PM10 in Ahvaz and Bushehr (P < 0.05). Correlations between satellite-derived and ground-based measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 were strong and statistically significant in Ahvaz and Bushehr, but weak or non-significant for SO2, NO2, and O3.
Conclusion: The integration of satellite observations with ground-based monitoring systems provides a reliable and cost-efficient approach to air quality assessment. Reductions in certain pollutants, especially particulate matter, were associated with decreased industrial activity and transportation during the pandemic.
Keywords
Air quality
Sentinel-5 satellite
Air pollutants
COVID-19
Subjects
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Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research
Volume 14, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 42-48