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Power-law behaviors of the duration size of unhealthy air pollution events

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Abstract

The duration size of air pollution events refers to a state in which air pollution indices reflect unhealthy conditions over an extended period of time. Thus, a large duration size implies prolonged air pollution events. Such events exert negative effects on human health, disrupt economic activities, and deteriorate environmental ecosystems. This study proposed the use of power-law models as a tool for evaluating the behaviors of duration size for extreme and unhealthy air pollution events. Four different power-law models were used to analyze the air pollution data in Klang, Malaysia. Results indicated that the discrete power-law distribution is a reliable model that could best describe the power-law mechanism existing at the right tail of the data distribution. In parallel with that, air pollution events with duration sizes greater than 33 h are found to reflect the threshold events that demonstrating a power-law behaviors. Findings highlight the need for authorities to be vigilant when air pollution incidents with duration sizes exceeding 33 h occur.

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Data availability

Due to confidentiality agreements, supporting data can only be made available to bona fide researchers subject to a non-disclosure agreement. Details of the data and how to request access are available from https://www.doe.gov.my/portalv1/en/ at Department of Environment Malaysia.

Code availability

All codes for data analysis associated with this manuscript have been provided as a supplemental material.

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Acknowledgements

The author is indebted Malaysian Department of Environment for providing air pollution data. This research would not be possible without the sponsorship from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (grant number FRGS/1/2014/SG04/UKM/03/1 and DIP-2018-038)

Funding

This work is supported by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia [grant number DIP-2018–038].

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  1. Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Nurulkamal Masseran

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  1. Nurulkamal Masseran
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The author confirms sole responsibility for the following: study conception and design, data analysis and interpretation of results, and manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Nurulkamal Masseran.

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Masseran, N. Power-law behaviors of the duration size of unhealthy air pollution events. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 35, 1499–1508 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-021-01978-2

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