The relationship between air pollution exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Ahvaz, Iran

Air pollutants can have harmful effects on human health. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is represented by the number of patients who visited specialist pulmonary hospital with symptoms of respiratory disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between air pollution exposure and COPD in Ahvaz, Iran. The present epidemiological study was performed in Ahvaz city. Data were obtained from the Ahvaz Department of Environment (ADoE). Sampling was performed for 24 hours in 4 stations. Raw data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel software, and after the impact of meteorological parameters, they were converted as input file to the model. Data analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows. The results of this study showed that the annual average PM10 concentration during 2012 was 727 μg/m3. According to the research findings, the two stations of Bureau of Meteorology and the city center had the highest and the lowest PM10 concentrations during 2012, respectively. The results showed a strong correlation between visits to a hospital due to COPD and PM10 emission in Ahvaz city. Approximately, 6.2% of hospital admissions for COPD occurred when the PM10 concentration was higher than 30 μg/m3. The findings of the present study showed that the total mean of particle matter was higher than the standard concentration. The higher percentage of hospital admission could be the result of the dust storm, higher average PM10, and sustained high concentration days in Ahvaz.