A Comparison between Ambient Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration and COVID-19 Mortality across the United States

Abstract

Is there is a correlation between air pollution concentration and deaths attributed to respiratory diseases? Past studies have shown that high concentrations of particulate matter and carbon dioxide have led to increased COVID-19 mortality, though there is a dearth of research concerning the relationship between nitrogen dioxide and COVID-19 deaths. In this thesis, I use data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Census Bureau to examine this relationship across the United States from March 2020 to December 2022. Though not the primary driver of increasing COVID-19 mortality, nitrogen dioxide showed a significant positive effect on risk of death due to COVID-19.