Exposure and health impacts of outdoor particulate matter in two urban and industrialized area of Tabriz, Iran

Numerous studies have shown associations between air pollution and health effects on human. the aims of thepresent study were to provide quantitative data on variation of atmospheric particulate matter (pm) concentrationand the impact of pm on the health of people living in tabriz city. the approach proposed by the world healthorganization (who) was applied using the airq 2.2.3 software developed by the who european centre forenvironment and health, bilthoven division. the concentration of particulate matter were measured at urban andindustrial suburban sites in tabriz, iran, from september 2012 to june 2013. tsp and pm10 samples were collectedusing high volume samplers. pm2.5 and pm1 were measured by haz-dust epam-5000 particulate air monitors. theannual average concentrations of tsp, pm10, pm2.5, and pm1 in the urban site were 142.2 ± 76.3, 85.3 ± 43.9, 39 ±19.1, and 28.4 ± 14.9 ?g/m3 (mean ± sd), respectively. also in industrial suburban, the total average concentrationsof tsp, pm10, pm2.5, and pm1 were measured as 178.7 ± 52.7, 109.9 ± 30.2, 40.0 ± 10.9, and 31.4 ± 9.1 ?g/m3,respectively. the pm10/tsp ratio for the whole study period ranged between 0.35-0.91 and 0.32-0.79 in the urbanand suburban sites, respectively. total mortalities associated with tsp, pm10 and pm2.5 concentrations were 327, 363,and 360, respectively. furthermore, the cardiovascular mortalities for tsp and pm10 were 202 and 227 individual,respectively. according to the attributable respiratory mortalities of 99 and 67 associated respectively with tsp andpm10, it is clear that cardiovascular mortality resulted from pm might attributed to total mortality. the maximum24-hour concentration of pm was observed during winter followed by autumn and the lowest one was during spring.