Exposure to PM₁₀, NO₂, and O₃ and impacts on human health

Air pollution is emerging as a risk factor for human health like cancer and other health outcomes in developing countries, especially Iran where air pollutant concentrations are elevated. Additionally, some of the crucial environmental problems are caused by air pollution. Nevertheless, the data on health effects of air pollution are limited. The main objective of this study was to assess the health impacts attributed to particulate matter less than 10 μg/m³ (PM₁₀), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) in Kermanshah City (Iran). The diurnal averages of PM₁₀ and NO₂ levels and 1-h averages of O₃ concentrations were applied to assess the cardiovascular mortality due to exposure to these pollutants during the years 2014 and 2015. The excess number of cardiovascular mortality was estimated by relative risk (RR) and baseline incidence (BI) defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). The excess in mortality risk for cardiovascular diseases is of 188 premature deaths related to PM₁₀, 33 related to NO₂, and 83 related to O₃, respectively. The results indicate that a 10-μg/m³ change in PM₁₀, NO₂, and O₃ generates a relative risk of 1.066, 1.012, and 1.020, respectively. The excess of relative risk is of 6.6, 1.2, and 2.0%, respectively. Immediate policies and actions are needed to reduce the various sources of these pollutants from transport and energy manufacture facilities in Kermanshah.