Sulfur and Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure and the Incidence of Health Endpoints in Ahvaz, Iran

Background: Sulfur and nitrogen dioxide can have harmful effects on human health. This pollutant can penetrate into sensitive parts of the respiratory system and cause or worsen Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death. Objectives: The purpose this study was to evaluate the effects of sulfur and nitrogen dioxide exposures on the incidence of health endpoints in Ahvaz City during 2012. Materials and Methods: We collected data from Ahvaz Department of Environment (ADoE). Sampling was done in 4 stations of Naderi, Behdasht'Ghadim, Havashenasi, and Mohitzist for 24 hours. Method of sampling and analysis were according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guideline. Raw data processing was done by Excel software and meteorological parameters were converted as input file into the Air Quality model (AQM). Finally, the rate of respiratory induced mortality and COPD attributed to sulfur and nitrogen dioxide in Ahvaz were calculated utilizing relative risk (RR) and baseline incidence (BI) related to health endpoints of sulfur and nitrogen dioxide in 2012. Descriptive statistics i.e. average and standard deviation was used for data analysis. Results: Results showed that Naderi and Havashenasi stations had the highest and the lowest sulfur and nitrogen dioxide concentrations, respectively during 2012. Maximum annual concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen dioxide were 173 and 58 mu g/m(3), respectively, which observed during winter 2012. Approximately 5.6% of the respiratory mortality and COPD cases happened when the sulfur and nitrogen dioxide concentrations were more than 20 mu g/m(3). Conclusions: Air pollution resulting from motor vehicles and industrial emissions has drastically increased in Ahvaz. The lower level of RR value might be achieved if some control strategies for reducing sulfur and nitrogen dioxide emission were implemented.