Abstract

Pollutants in the atmosphere are known to cause negative human health effects and environmental degradation. Air pollution is linked to increased asthma, risk of lung cancer, and other cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Three of the most important pollutants are ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particulate matter. This study is investigating how levels of each of these pollutants changed in North Carolina from 2010 to 2020. Data were collected from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) air quality data bank, and a trend analysis was performed to quantify statewide and regional (coastal, piedmont, and mountains) temporal changes. This research found that from 2010-2020, the average levels of all three pollutants decreased across the state. Statewide, nitrogen dioxide levels decreased by 46.3% from 49.5 parts per billion to 26.6 parts per billion using the annual 98th percentile, ozone levels decreased by 24.1% from 0.073 parts per million to 0.053 parts per million using the annual 4th highest 8-hour average, and fine particulate matter levels decreased by 36.4% from 9.97 ?g/m3 to 6.34 ?g/m3 using the average daily mean. The effects of Covid-19 and the 2016 wildfires on air pollution were researched as case studies: the wildfires caused an increase in all three pollutants, and during 2020 the concentration of all pollutants decreased.

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