We have evaluated the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region by means of a correlation between climate and air pollution indicators, namely, average temperature, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, rainfall, average relative humidity, wind speed, and air pollution indicators PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and NO 2 with the COVID-19 daily new cases and deaths. The study focuses in the following LAC cities: Mexico City (Mexico), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Bogotá (Colombia), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Manaus (Brazil), Lima (Perú), Santiago (Chile), São Paulo (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The results show that average temperature, minimum temperature, and air quality were significantly associated with the spread of COVID-19 in LAC. Additionally, humidity, wind speed and rainfall showed a significant relationship with daily cases, total cases and mortality for various cities. Income inequality and poverty levels were also considered as a variable for qualitative analysis. Our findings suggest that and income inequality and poverty levels in the cities analyzed were related to the spread of COVID-19 positive and negative, respectively. These results might help decision-makers to design future strategies to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in LAC and around the world.

Chile is a fast-growing country with important industrial activities near urban areas. In this study, the mass and elemental concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 were measured in five major Chilean urban areas. Samples of particles with diameter less than 10 µm (PM 10 ) and 2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ) were collected in 1998 in Iquique (northern Chile), Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Rancagua (central Chile), and Temuco (southern Chile). Both PM 10 and PM 2.5 annual mean concentrations (PM 10 : 56.9-77.6 µg/m 3 ; PM 2.5 : 22.4-42.6 µg/m 3 ) were significantly higher than the corresponding European Union (EU) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards. Moreover, the 24-hr PM 10 and PM 2.5 U.S. standards were exceeded infrequently for some of the cities (Rancagua and Valparaíso). IMPLICATIONSA source apportionment study was conducted in five Chilean cities. Both PM 10 and PM 2.5 annual mean concentrations in all five cities were significantly higher than the ambient air quality standards established by the World Health Organization, EU, and the EPA. Consequently, populations residing in these areas are exposed to high particle concentrations that may pose significant health effects. The major sources of coarse particles were soil and sea salt particles. Sources of fine particle mass included automobiles, wood and agricultural waste burning, Cu smelters, and oil refineries. The use of multivariate statistical methods on PM 10 and PM 2.5 mass and elemental concentrations provides information on their sources. The results of these studies can be used to assess the risk of air pollution and to develop cost-effective control strategies.

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This article is a review of the science goals and activities initiated within the framework of the Pollution and its Impacts on the South American Cryosphere (PISAC) initiative. Air pollution associated with biomass burning and urban emissions affects extensive areas of South America. We focus on black carbon (BC) aerosol and its impacts on air quality, water availability, and climate, with an emphasis on the Andean cryosphere. BC is one of the key short-lived climate pollutants that is a topic of growing interest for near-term mitigation of these issues. Limited scientific evidence indicates that the Andean cryosphere has already responded to climate change with receding glaciers and snow cover, which directly affect water resources, agriculture, and energy production in the Andean region of South America. Despite the paucity of systematic observations along the Andes, a few studies have detected BC on snow and glaciers in the Andes. These, in addition to existing and projected emissions and weather patterns, suggest a possible contribution of BC to the observed retreat of the Andean cryosphere. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of these issues from scientific and policy perspectives, and propose strategic expansions to the relevant measurement infrastructure in the region.

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Santiago, Chile, is one of the most polluted cities in South America. As a response, over the past 15 yr, numerous pollution reduction programs have been implemented by the environmental authority, Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente. This paper assesses the effectiveness of these interventions by examining the trends of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) and its associated elements. Daily fine particle filter samples were collected in Santiago at a downtown location from April 1998 through March 2003. Additionally, meteorological variables were measured continuously. Annual average concentrations of PM(2.5) decreased only marginally, from 41.8 microg/m3 for the 1998-1999 period to 35.4 microg/m3 for the 2002-2003 period. PM(2.5) concentrations exceeded the annual U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard of 15 microg/m3. Also, approximately 20% of the daily samples exceeded the old standard of 65 microg/m3, whereas approximately half of the samples exceeded the new standard of 35 microg/m3 (effective in 2006). Mean PM(2.5) levels measured during the cold season (April through September) were three times higher than those measured in the warm season (October through March). Particulate mass and elemental concentration trends were investigated using regression models, controlling for year, month, weekday, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity. The results showed significant decreases for Pb, Br, and S concentrations and minor but still significant decreases for Ni, Al, Si, Ca, and Fe. The larger decreases were associated with specific remediation policies implemented, including the removal of lead from gasoline, the reduction of sulfur levels in diesel fuel, and the introduction of natural gas. These results suggest that the pollution reduction programs, especially the ones related to transport, have been effective in reducing various important components of PM(2.5). However, particle mass and other associated element levels remain high, and it is thus imperative to continue the efforts to improve air quality, particularly focusing on industrial sources.

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