Quantification of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases and Mortality Attributed to Air Pollutants SO2of Tabriz City Using AIRQ Model in 2011

Health problems associated with exposure to air pollution impose healthcare costs, and leads to absence from work andjob loss, and in extreme cases, permanent disability and death (1). Due to presence of many large industrial plants and the entry of new vehicles in the urban traffic cycle, Tabriz is one of the most polluted Iranian cities. The aim of the present study was to quantify and compare the health effects of the air pollutant SO2in Tabriz. Information was obtained from the Department of Environment and Meteorological Organization. The information included data from six air pollution measurement station in Tabriz in a 12-month period from March 21, 2011 to March 20, 2012. These data were then corrected for temperature and pressure in EXCEL, programed, processed (averaged), filtered, and undergone final processing. The processed data were then entered to the AIRQ model. The cumulative number of deaths due to SO2emissions in Tabriz was 108. The number of deaths from cardiovascular disease attributed to SO2was estimated to be 105. Per 10 μg/m3increase in concentrations of SO2, the risk of cardiovascular death increased by 0.8%. The cumulative number of deaths from respiratory disease attributed to SO2emissions was 17. The cumulative number of cases of acute myocardial infarction attributed to SO2was 22, and cumulative estimated number of patients referred to the hospital due to COPD caused by exposure to high concentrations of SO2(above 10 μg/m3) were estimated to be 12 patients.