Health impacts quantification of ambient air pollutants using AirQ model approach in Hamadan, Iran

Iranian western cities, including Hamadan, have been experiencing Middle East Dust Storms (MEDS) phenomenon problems in recent years, so the air quality is getting worse every year in these cities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human health impacts of criteria air pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO and O3 on the citizens of Hamadan using AirQ model software 2.2.3. Considering the determined baseline incidence (BI) and relative risk (RR) rate, the attributable proportion (AP) of deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory mortality attributed to PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, and CO pollutants was estimated to be 4.42%, 3.37%, 1.75%, 1.74% and 0.92% (95% CI) of the total mortality and the excess death cases were respectively estimated to be 131.9, 100.4, 52.1, 51.9 and 27.3 persons. In addition, cardiovascular mortality brings more contribution than respiratory mortality in total death number. The results of our study also showed that PM2.5 poses the greatest health effects on the citizens. Analyzing the average seasonal concentrations of studied pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, and NO2) and the mean seasonal temperature values revealed a positive linear correlation. Significant negative correlations were observed between the studied pollutants (PM10, PM2.5 and NO2) and relative humidity, and between PM and wind speed. This study, therefore, provides additional data in decision-makings for the development of strategies for reduction of ambient air pollution which will result in improvements of air quality.