Temporal fluctuations of PM2.5 and PM10, population exposure, and their health impacts in Dezful city, Iran

J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2020 Jun 18;18(2):723-731. doi: 10.1007/s40201-020-00498-5. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Morbidity and mortality impacts of particulate matter (PM) are globally important health critical parameters. In this ecological-descriptive study, the health impact of PM10 and PM2.5 associated with there temporal variations in Dezful city were assessed from 2013 to 2015. AirQ+ software handles the PM air pollutants by addressing impact evaluation and life table evaluation. We used a new method to analysis fine particles feature by using regular daily observations of PM10. In this method, relationship between PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations were analyzed and calculated. The annual average concentrations of PM10 were 147.1, 114.3 and 158.8 μg/m3, and the annual average concentration of PM2.5 were 57.8, 50.7 and 58.2 μg/m3 in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. PM10 also had obvious diurnal variations with highest hourly concentrations in 13:00 and 22:00 but the lowest concentrations often occurred in 05:00 and 16:00. Unexpectedly, in weekends the concentration of PM pollutants appeared to have increased from 18:00 to midnight. The daily based analysis showed that there are 147 dusty days in the study period during which the most severe dusty day occurred in 2014. Over the study period, mean levels of PM10 and PM2.5 in both conditions were higher in 2015 compare to 2013 and 2014, which probably is due to higher frequency of dust storms in 2015. Hence, during 2015 and 2013 they're were higher morbidity and mortality compare to 2014 due to exposure to higher polluted air with PMs in all cases except lung cancer (LC).

Keywords: AirQ+; Dezful; Dusty days; Non-dusty days; Temporal variation.