Spatio-Temporal Distribution of PM 2.5 and PM 10 Concentrations and Assessment of Public Health Risk in the Three Most Polluted Provinces of Iran

Abbas Ranjbar Saadat Abadi, Nasim Hossein Hamzeh (), Dimitris G. Kaskaoutis, Jean-Francois Vuillaume, Karim Abdukhakimovich Shukurov () and Maryam Gharibzadeh
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Abbas Ranjbar Saadat Abadi: Department Meteorology, Atmospheric Science & Meteorological Research Center (ASMERC), Tehran 14977-13611, Iran
Nasim Hossein Hamzeh: Department of Meteorology, Air and Climate Technology Company (ACTC), Tehran 15996-16313, Iran
Dimitris G. Kaskaoutis: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece
Jean-Francois Vuillaume: Freelance Researcher, 67200 Strasbourg, France
Karim Abdukhakimovich Shukurov: A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017 Moscow, Russia
Maryam Gharibzadeh: Institute of Geophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 14359-44411, Iran

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-28

Abstract: This study examines the spatio-temporal variations of ambient air pollution from fine particulates below 2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ) and particulate matter below 10 µm (PM 10 ) in three of the most polluted provinces in Iran, namely Tehran, Isfahan, and Khuzestan, over a 6-year period (2016–2021). The results reveal distinct patterns of PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations since in Tehran, the highest PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels occur in winter, while PM 2.5 is lowest from March to May. Khuzestan experiences the highest pollution levels in summer due to dust storms, while Isfahan exhibits pollution levels and annual patterns similar to Tehran. Strong correlations are observed between PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations at stations in Tehran and Khuzestan Provinces, suggesting common sources and variation in both coarse and fine PM, with average PM 2.5 /PM 10 ratios of 0.39–0.42, suggesting the dominance of dust. Furthermore, the analysis identifies the role of atmospheric stability, wind speed, and dust storms in controlling the PM levels in the three provinces. Lifetime cancer risks have been identified as unacceptably high, exceeding the threshold limit of 10 −4 , while Hazard Quotient (HQ) values above 1 indicate a high non-carcinogenic potential risk, particularly at stations in Khuzestan Province. The Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) values for PM 2.5 exposure in the most populated Tehran Province range from 139.4 × 10 −6 to 263.2 × 10 −6 , underscoring significant cancer risks across various monitoring sites. This study emphasizes the urgent need for targeted pollution control measures in each province to effectively mitigate the adverse health effects associated with high PM concentrations.

Keywords: particulate pollution; environmental monitoring; health risk assessment; Tehran; Isfahan; Khuzestan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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