This work aims to evaluate the possible relations between the confirmed daily cases of COVID-19 and the environmental parameters for the Cuiabá-Várzea Grande conurbation in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The data sets used to cover the rainy-dry periods, from January to December 2020, were achieved from a database of government institutions, and processed through the Spearman correlation test. Our results showed that atmospheric pressure and fire radiative power has a significant positive correlation, suggesting that these parameters favor the transmission of COVID-19. On the other hand, the relative humidity of the air and the total column of water vapor showed a significant negative correlation with the number of confirmed daily cases of COVID-19, which indicates that the water vapor present in the atmosphere acts in the regulation of virus transmission. Thus, taking into account the results obtained, there is a need for collaborative policies and measures among the three spheres of executive power in Brazil, to act in the surveillance of fire cases, which can favor the transmission of COVID-19. In addition, prevention and protection measures aimed at reducing the spread of coronavirus continue to be indispensable.

The Brazilian Pantanal region experiences intense biomass burning during the dry season, releasing large quantities of gasses and particles into the atmosphere, which have serious implications on both the climate system and public health. Understanding the dynamics of these emissions is crucial for mitigating the impact on the ecosystem, its functioning, and potential anthropogenic disturbances. This study focused on analyzing emissions in the northern Pantanal during the 2022 drought. Concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), black carbon (BC), and 25 chemical elements were measured using gravimetry, reflectance analysis, and X-Ray fluorescence, respectively, from samples collected between August and October 2022. The average concentrations of PM_2.5 and BC increased approximately 4-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively, compared to averages from a decade ago. Significant increases were also observed in elements such as sulfur (S), potassium (K), iron (Fe), and silicon (Si). The maximum concentrations were comparable to values typical of the southern Amazon, a region known for high deforestation rates and land use changes. Elemental analysis revealed substantial shifts in concentrations, primarily associated with biomass burning (BB) and soil suspension. Additionally, enrichment factor (Ef) analysis showed that lead (Pb) levels, correlated with human activities, were 200 times higher than those found under clean atmospheric conditions.

The Brazilian Pantanal region suffers intensely from biomass burning during the dry season. Large quantities of gases and particles are emitted into the atmosphere during this period, with serious implications for fauna and flora. Understanding the dynamics of these emissions is es-sential for mitigating the ecosystem, its functioning, and possible anthropogenic disturbances. In this sense, this study analyzed emissions over the north of the Brazilian Pantanal during the 2022 drought. Measurements of concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), Black carbon (BC), and elemental concentration (25 chemical elements) were determined by gravimetry, reflectance analysis, and X-ray fluorescence, respectively, for samples collected between August and Octo-ber 2022. The average concentrations of PM2.5 and BC had their values increased by approxi-mately 4 and 2.5 times, respectively, when compared to the averages from a decade ago. The maximum concentrations found are close to values typical of the southern Amazon region, a re-gion with high rates of deforestation and changes in land use. The elemental analysis showed large changes in concentrations, mainly associated with biomass burning emission (BB) and soil resuspension. Furthermore, analyses of lead (Pb) concentrations showed strong anthropization at the study site.