%X Climate change is generally known to impact ozone concentration globally. However, the intensity varies across regions and countries. Therefore, local studies are essential to accurately assess the correlation of climate change and ozone concentration in different countries. This study investigates the effects of climatic variables on ozone concentration in Malaysia in order to understand the nexus between climate change and ozone concentration. The selected data was obtained from ten (10) air monitoring stations strategically mounted in urban-industrial and residential areas with significant emissions of pollutants. Correlation analysis and four machine learning algorithms (random forest, decision tree regression, linear regression, and support vector regression) were used to analyze ozone and meteorological dataset in the study area. The analysis was carried out during the southwest monsoon due to the rise of ozone in the dry season. The results show a very strong correlation between temperature and ozone. Wind speed also exhibits a moderate to strong correlation with ozone, while relative humidity is negatively correlated. The highest correlation values were obtained at Bukit Rambai, Nilai, Jaya II Perai, Ipoh, Klang and Petaling Jaya. These locations have high industries and are well urbanized. The four machine learning algorithms exhibit high predictive performances, generally ascertaining the predictive accuracy of the climatic variables. The random forest outperformed other algorithms with a very high R2 of 0.970, low RMSE of 2.737 and MAE of 1.824, followed by linear regression, support vector regression and decision tree regression, respectively. This study's outcome indicates a linkage between temperature and wind speed with ozone concentration in the study area. An increase of these variables will likely increase the ozone concentration posing threats to lives and the environment. Therefore, this study provides data-driven insights for decision-makers and other stakeholders in ensuring good air quality for sustainable cities and communities. It also serves as a guide for the government for necessary climate actions to reduce the effect of climate change on air pollution and enabling sustainable cities in accordance with the UN's SDGs 13 and 11, respectively. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd
%K Air quality; Correlation methods; Decision trees; Industrial emissions; Linear regression; Machine learning; Ozone; Quality control; Random forests; Wind, Climatic variables; Correlation analysis; Decision tree regression; Machine learning algorithms; Malaysia; Ozone concentration; Random forests; Regression vectors; Support vector regressions; Sustainable cities, Climate change, ozone; ozone, air quality; climate change; climate effect; concentration (composition); correlation; machine learning; numerical model; ozone; regression analysis; support vector machine; sustainability, air monitoring; air pollution; air quality; Article; climate; climate change; correlation analysis; decision tree; dry season; environmental temperature; industrial area; learning algorithm; linear regression analysis; Malaysia; random forest; relative humidity; residential area; support vector machine; urban area; wind speed; air pollutant; decision tree; environmental monitoring; statistical model, Malaysia, Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Decision Trees; Environmental Monitoring; Linear Models; Malaysia; Ozone
%O cited By 19
%J Chemosphere
%L scholars16620
%D 2022
%R 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134250
%T Modelling and investigating the impacts of climatic variables on ozone concentration in Malaysia using correlation analysis with random forest, decision tree regression, linear regression, and support vector regression
%V 299
%I Elsevier Ltd
%A A.-L. Balogun
%A A. Tella