CoViD-19 outbreak in Northern Italy: Did particulate matter really play a key role?

Northern Italian regions have been the most affected from CoViD-19 compared to other Italian areas and are also the zones where air pollutants concentration has been higher than in the rest of Italy. The aim of the research is analysing possible correlations between air pollutants PM ₁₀ and PM _2.5 and the rapidity of the spread of the infection caused by CoViD-19 in Northern Italy. PM ₁₀ and PM _2.5 data for all the 41 studied cities were collected from the local environmental protection agencies. In order to compare air quality data with epidemiological data (T _d ), a statistical analysis was conducted identifying the correlation matrices of Pearson and Spearman, considering the possible incubation period of the disease. The results exclude a strong direct correlation between PM in the air and the diffusion rate of CoViD-19. Further developments are necessary for a better comprehension of the influence of atmospheric pollution parameters on the rapidity of spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2, since a synergistic action with other factors, such as meteorological factors, could not be excluded.