Assessment of Nexus between Air Pollution, Covid-19 Fatality, Lockdown Measures and Biodiesel Sustainability

Abstract:

Air pollution, occasioned by the combustion of fossil fuels, is a major precursor to many health challenges. Extensive release of poisonous gaseous pollutants has continued to hamper life expectancy and wellbeing, leading to respiratory diseases, health complications and death of people that particularly live in areas which suffer high concentrations of these pollutants in the air. A proven reference to this is captured as a link to the recent Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of life since it began spreading around the global community. However, the recent global obligatory lockdown measures enforced to combat the spread of Covid-19 pandemic has shown that there was reduction in pollutant emissions released from industrial and transportation activities. This reduction was found to play a significant role in alleviating the Covid-19 complications in areas which have high levels of air pollution, which is linked to symptoms complications and high level of fatality. As a present and future remedy, the combustion of renewable biodiesel as a replacement for fossil fuels has been recognized to play a significant role in achieving increased contribution of sustainable energy as well as reducing pollutant emissions via its combustion in vehicular engines. In light of this, there is a significant need to develop quality biodiesel that can support global energy security and also ensure environmental sustainability through the reduction of pollutant emissions. More scientific methods are needed to drive biodiesel production technologies toward the development of quality fuels from novel feedstock. This study has, however, been able to highlight the connection between air pollution, Covid-19 fatality, effect of lockdown measures, and biodiesel sustainability in reduction of poisonous gaseous emissions.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 107)
• Pages: 64-75
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.107.64
• Online since: June 2021
• Authors: Oyetola Ogunkunle*, Noor A. Ahmed
• Keywords: Air Pollution, Biodiesel, Covid-19, Fossil Fuel, Respiratory Diseases

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