Determination of assessment of air pollutants on mortality and morbidity in Greek cities

Abstract

Epidemiological studies (WHO 2013; US-EPA 2009; EEA 2013) show that air pollution causes adverse effects on human health. The last years in Greece several events of air pollution took place. The aim of this study is to make a quantitative estimation of the effects on human health from the excess of limit values of air pollutants in Greece.

The number of concentration exceedances and their size were calculated for PM₁₀, O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ for 15 Stations during 2007-2012. The factors increasing molarity and morbidity when concentrations exceed a limit value were determined. Finally, the increase (%) of mortality and morbidity is calculated at each station at the specific days where exceedances occurred.

Results: Although the mean concentrations decrease over time, there is an increase of exceedances, especially for PM₁₀. (Table 1)

Table1. Estimation of increase (%) width of mortality and morbidity for PM₁₀ in three Stations: Athens – Aristotelous (Urban), Athens – Marousi (Suburban) and Thessaloniki – Agias Sofias Sq. (Urban)

Conclusions: a significant increase in mortality and morbidity is observed in Greece during last years due to the exceedance of limit values of various air pollutants.