Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: According to the WHO estimates, air pollution is accounted for about 800000 premature death of cardiovascular and respiratory disease and lung cancer resulted from air pollution throughout the world approximately 150000 cases of those deaths occur in south Asia. The studies conducting on short-term and long-term effects are reported in terms of admission rate, consulting with a physician, number of a particular disease, death, and years of the lost life (YOLL). We used Air Q2.2.3 (Air Quality Health Impact Assessment) Model to evaluate adverse health effects caused by NO2 exposure in Ahvaz City during 2009. NO₂ reacts with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form small particles. These small particles penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death.
Materials and Methods: First the data required was collected from Ahvaz Environment Organization and Meteorological Organization. Then, this data were processed by Excel software through correcting temperature and pressure, coding, averaging and filtering. Finally, the data processed were entered to Air Q model. This model is a valid and reliable WHO-proved tool to estimate the potential short term effects of air pollution. This model includes four screen inputs (Supplier, AQ data, Location, Parameter) and two output screens (Table and Graph).
Results: It was found that the Meteorological and Environment Organization stations have had the maximum and minimum NO2 concentration respectively. Moreover, the annual, summer, and winter average and 98cile of this pollutant was 27, 6, 43, and 115 µg/m³ respectively. The cumulative number of myocardial infarction resulted from NO₂ exposure was estimated to be nine persons per year. This value for the cardiovascular death was found to be 19 cases. Finally, the COPD cases was estimated to be seven per year.
Conclusion: Air Q software calculated relative risks, attributable proportion, and baseline incidence using data processed by Excel and presents the output as the cause specific deaths. It is noteworthy that there is no model that can estimate all of the pollutants health effects simultaneously. Cumulative number of persons for acute MI attributed to NO₂ exposure was 9 in 2009. Moreover, 51% of this number occurred in the days with concentrations lower than 60 µg/m³. It should be noted that 72% of this value are corresponded to the days with concentrations below 90 µg/m³. The total cumulative number of cardiovascular death attributed to exposure with NO2 during one year of monitoring was 19 persons. 60% of these cases have occurred in days with NO2 levels not exceeding 90 µg/m³. Cumulative number of hospital admission of COPD attributed to exposure with NO₂ during one year of monitoring was 7 persons.87 % of these cases have occurred in days with NO2 levels not exceeding 110 µg/m³.