Análisis multitemporal de la concentración del contaminante PM2.5 en la zona urbana de la ciudad de Cuenca.

Abstract

As one of the global health issues is air pollution due to particulate matter PM2.5, an analysis of this pollutant’s concentrations was conducted in Cuenca’s urban area. Based on multi-temporal research from 2013 to 2022, the study employed a combination of multispectral remote sensing images and PM2.5 concentrations from three permanent stations of EMOV EP (Municipal Mobility Company). The levels of alert, alarm, and emergency established by current environmental regulations were determined in the different urban parishes of Cuenca. The most significant concentration values were observed in the parishes near the city's historic center, possibly due to the number of vehicles circulating in the area, making it a harmful agent to the health of residents and merchants. A trend of increasing PM2.5 concentration was identified from 2013 to 2022, with a decline in 2020, where minimum concentration levels are presented, possibly because of the confinement measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.