A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis
In this work we apply a rigorous and reproducible data analytics process for validation and analysis of the historical data from Bogotá (Colombia) air quality monitoring network since 1998. The reasons for addressing this research study stem from the lack of a consistent approach for cleaning, valid...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00065/full |
| _version_ | 1819095428475387904 |
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| author | Ivan Mura Juan Felipe Franco Laura Bernal Nicolás Melo Juan José Díaz Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei |
| author_facet | Ivan Mura Juan Felipe Franco Laura Bernal Nicolás Melo Juan José Díaz Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei |
| author_sort | Ivan Mura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this work we apply a rigorous and reproducible data analytics process for validation and analysis of the historical data from Bogotá (Colombia) air quality monitoring network since 1998. The reasons for addressing this research study stem from the lack of a consistent approach for cleaning, validating and reporting air quality data. By analyzing the whole dataset, we are aiming at providing citizens and the city authorities with a clear view of the current situation of air quality and of its historical evolution. Without any loss of generality, we focus our analysis on both respirable and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations, which in Bogotá and worldwide are source of concern for their negative impacts on human health. We develop a reproducible and flexible data cleaning methodology for particulate matter concentration data reported by the local authorities, which allows customizing and applying configurable validation rules. Then, we present statistical descriptive analyses by providing intuitive data visualizations, characterizing historical and spatial change of air pollutant levels. Results raise concerns for the high percentage of invalid data, as well as the high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 ambient concentrations as observed in the valid portion of the available data, which frequently exceed national and international air quality standards. The data exhibit encouraging signs of air quality improvement, particularly for PM10. However, the analyses indicate that significant differences exist across Bogotá, and particularly in the south-west zone of the city annual concentrations of particulate matter are up to three or four times the WHO recommendations. We are confident on the methodology and results from our analysis are useful both for local environmental authority and the general public to help in obtaining consistent conclusions from the available data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:43:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e580e7a444e3469abfe03f89c48c99d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-665X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:43:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-e580e7a444e3469abfe03f89c48c99d92022-12-21T18:46:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2020-05-01810.3389/fenvs.2020.00065534624A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive AnalysisIvan Mura0Juan Felipe Franco1Laura Bernal2Nicolás Melo3Juan José Díaz4Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei5Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, ChinaResearch and Knowledge Department, Hill Consulting, Bogotá, ColombiaDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, ColombiaDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, ColombiaDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, ColombiaSchool of Management, Sabanci University, Istanbul, TurkeyIn this work we apply a rigorous and reproducible data analytics process for validation and analysis of the historical data from Bogotá (Colombia) air quality monitoring network since 1998. The reasons for addressing this research study stem from the lack of a consistent approach for cleaning, validating and reporting air quality data. By analyzing the whole dataset, we are aiming at providing citizens and the city authorities with a clear view of the current situation of air quality and of its historical evolution. Without any loss of generality, we focus our analysis on both respirable and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations, which in Bogotá and worldwide are source of concern for their negative impacts on human health. We develop a reproducible and flexible data cleaning methodology for particulate matter concentration data reported by the local authorities, which allows customizing and applying configurable validation rules. Then, we present statistical descriptive analyses by providing intuitive data visualizations, characterizing historical and spatial change of air pollutant levels. Results raise concerns for the high percentage of invalid data, as well as the high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 ambient concentrations as observed in the valid portion of the available data, which frequently exceed national and international air quality standards. The data exhibit encouraging signs of air quality improvement, particularly for PM10. However, the analyses indicate that significant differences exist across Bogotá, and particularly in the south-west zone of the city annual concentrations of particulate matter are up to three or four times the WHO recommendations. We are confident on the methodology and results from our analysis are useful both for local environmental authority and the general public to help in obtaining consistent conclusions from the available data.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00065/fullair qualityparticulate matterdata validationvisual analyticsurban health |
| spellingShingle | Ivan Mura Juan Felipe Franco Laura Bernal Nicolás Melo Juan José Díaz Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis Frontiers in Environmental Science air quality particulate matter data validation visual analytics urban health |
| title | A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis |
| title_full | A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis |
| title_fullStr | A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis |
| title_short | A Decade of Air Quality in Bogotá: A Descriptive Analysis |
| title_sort | decade of air quality in bogota a descriptive analysis |
| topic | air quality particulate matter data validation visual analytics urban health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00065/full |
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