ABSTRACT
Background: Epidemiological studies have illustrated that exposure to atmospheric nitrogen oxides [NO[2]/NO[X]] is responsible for an increased risk of acute or chronic diseases such as cancer. In this study the health risks associated with nitrogen dioxide [NO[2]] were assessed in the city of Kermanshah, the capital of Kermanshah province, Iran
Methods: Data on hourly NO[2] levels that had been measured with the Environ tech model M200 was taken from the Kermanshah Environmental Protection Agency [KEPA]. The AirQ2.2.3 model was used to quantify data based on baseline incidence [BI], relative risk [RR], and attributable proportion [AP]. The number of cases of cardiovascular mortality [CM], acute myocardial infarction [MI], and hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [HACOPD] was estimated
Results: The results of the current study show that there were 33, 16, and 13 cases of CM, acute MI, and HACOPD, respectively, attributable to NO[2] exposure. Furthermore, 26.85% of health impacts occurred on days when NO[2] levels did not exceed 40 micro g/m[3]. For every 10 micro g/m3 increase in the NO[2] level, the risk of CM, MI, and HACOPD rose about 0.2%, 0.36%, and 0.38%, respectively
Conclusion: In order to reduce the number of cases of mortality and morbidity caused by exposure to NO[2], several immediate steps should be taken by the government to control emissions from various sources, particularly car exhaust, to reduce the levels of NO[2] in the atmosphere