Spatial and temporal dynamics of air pollution and socioeconomic deprivation in Liverpool, UK: A multi-scale analytical approach

Particulate matter poses a significant public health challenge, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically deprived urban communities. This study delivers a pioneering analysis of air quality dynamics in Liverpool, UK - a city marked by pronounced deprivation gradients - utilizing a high-resolution array of 58 Aeternum sensors deployed across 54 of its 64 wards in 2023. By integrating hourly PM_2.5, PM₁₀, temperature, and humidity data with the Index of Multiple Deprivation and housing typology, we reveal significant spatial disparities amplified by temporal patterns, identified through innovative applications of Singular Value Decomposition, Short-Time Fourier Transform, and k-means clustering. Our findings elucidate the interplay between environmental conditions, urban form, and socioeconomic disadvantage, demonstrating how northern wards with high index of multiple deprivation and dense terraced housing bear elevated PM burdens, while southern suburban areas benefit from natural mitigation. This research, distinguished by its methodological rigor and granular dataset, provides a robust evidence base for targeted interventions to alleviate air pollution's health impacts in Liverpool's most vulnerable populations, contributing to national and global discourse on environmental injustice.