Human health risk assessment due to ambient PM10 and SO2 by an air quality modeling technique

Exposure to air pollutants may be an important environmental risk factor for human health. The main objective of this study was to assess the health impacts of exposure to particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μg (PM10) and to sulfur dioxide (SO2) using the AirQ2.2.3 software developed by the WHO European Center for Environment and Health. Daily concentrations of PM10 and SO2 were used to assess the health effects. With regard to the mortality, the results showed that 3.9% (95% CI: 3.3-4.5%) of total, 4.2% (95% CI: 2.7-9.05%) of cardiovascular, and 6.2% (95% CI: 4.2-16.9%) of respiratory mortality were related to PM10 concentrations above 10 μg/m3, respectively. In addition, 1.7% (95% CI: 1.3-2.06%) of total, 3.4% (95% CI: 0.78-5.0%) of cardiovascular, and 2% (95% CI: 2.5-5.7%) of respiratory death were attributed to SO2 levels higher than 10 μg/m3, respectively. Given these findings, urgent policy decisions are needed to reduce the death caused by air pollution, and better quantification studies are recommended.