Estimation of health effects attributed toNO2exposure by using of AirQ model in Ahvaz, 2009

AirQ software proved to be a valid and reliable tool to estimate the potential short term effects of air pollution. In this study the AirQ2.2.3 model was used to evaluate adverse health effects caused by NO2 exposure in Ahvaz during 2009. The AirQ was developed by World Health Organization that can predict health endpointsattributed to criteria pollutants and allows the examination of various scenarios in which emission rates of pollutants are varied.NO2 react 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 diseases, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death. In the present study approximately 3 percent of total cardiovascular mortality, acute myocardial infarction and hospital admission of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease happened when the NO2 concentration was over than 20µg/m3. Low percentage of observed health endpoints was associated to low concentration of measured NO2. The lower level of RR value might achieve if some control strategies for reducing NO2 emission be used. Therefore the higher RR value can depict mismanagement in urban air quality.