Predicting the Mortality Rate Due to Particulate Matters Using AirQ Software and Health Risk Assessment in the City of Sanandaj

The goal of this research was to assess the severity of diseases caused by suspended particulate matters for the residents of the area and the health risk assessment in Sanandaj. The statistical information about the concentration of particulate matters was taken in 2012 from the Sanandaj Department of Environment. The field measurement of particulate matters was also carried out in 17 monitoring stations in Sanandaj for different months during a year by using portable devices. Then for quantifying the effects of air pollutants, Air Quality Health Impact Assessment (AirQ) software was used. Next, calculations were made in Excel for preparation of the input data. Finally, prediction of mortality and comparing it with the available statistics was performed and the health risk assessment was conducted for the region. The study of air pollution due to particulate matters in the city of Sanandaj showed that most of the days, the area was contaminated with low intensity and the days of unhealthy and dangerous including less than two months from June to August. The highest amounts of the average concentrations of particulate matters in different months of the year were seen in the first five months of the year and especially in June. However, the number of patients admitted by health centers due to air pollution, in the winter and April, were the greatest. Most of the air pollution was seen in the northeast (Area A) due to the repairing workshops, passenger terminal and industrial park located in that area. Assessment of the number of patients admitted by the medical centers in the city of Sanandaj and comparing it with the amounts predicted by AirQ, showed that the results of AirQ were less than the real data, while the predicted mortality rates were more than the real data. In terms of demographic categories indifferent parts of the city, the distribution was almost equal. However, it was the highest rate in the area number 3, which had the lowest air pollution. Prediction of health risk in the area showed the highest risk in the area number one and for the people in age of 20- 44 years old. The main cause was the more exposure of people living in this area to air pollutants.  In cold seasons of the year, due to inversion and the topographical situation of the region, respiratory diseases and mortality rate increased in the study area. Based on the diseases recorded in the statistical year, 581 cases of chronic lung diseases,570 cases of angina thoracic, 23 cases of asthma and 39 deaths attributed to air pollution has been reported.