Examination of air pollutants and their risk for human health in urban and suburban environments for two Romanian cities: Brasov and Iasi

Katalin Bodor; Róbert Szép; Zsolt Bodor

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21810

Examination of air pollutants and their risk for human health in urban and suburban environments for two Romanian cities: Brasov and Iasi

Heliyon. 2023 Oct 31;9(11):e21810. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21810. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Katalin Bodor^{1

2

3}, Róbert Szép^{1

2

3}, Zsolt Bodor^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Faculty of Economics, Socio-Human Sciences and Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Libertății Sq. 1, 530104, Miercurea Ciuc, Romania.
² University of Pécs, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Doctoral School of Chemistry, st. Ifjúság 6, 7624, Pécs, Hungary.
³ Institute for Research and Development in Game Management and Mountain Resources Miercurea Ciuc, st. Progresului 35B, 530240, Romania.

Abstract

To detect the spatial differences of atmospheric pollutants in urban and suburban areas is important for observing their aspects on regional air quality, climate, and human health. This study is focused on the evolution of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO_x and SO₂, concentrations, and meteorological parameters from 2010 to 2022, at urban and suburban area in the two Romanian city: Brasov and Iasi. The daily patterns of most pollutants in urban and suburban areas, are strongly linked to land-traffic emissions. The seasonal differences were observation of the studied air pollutants displays visible decreasing in warm period and increased concentrations in cold period. Significant higher (25%- Brasov, 28%- Iasi) PM₁₀ were found in urban area concentration probably caused by enhanced vehicular emissions over these areas induced by urban planning and mobility policies. The average relative risk caused by PM₁₀ for all-cause mortality in the urban region was 1.021 (±0.004) in Brasov, and significantly higher in Iasi 1.030 (±0.005). In suburban regions this risk was lower with 33 % 1.014 (±0.006) in Brasov and 30 % 1.021 (±0.003) in Iasi. The main objective of this research was to identify the difference of air pollutants and meteorological parameters in the urban and suburban region of the studied city.

Keywords: Air pollution; Particulate matter; Suburban; Urban.