Assessment of the impact on mortality of air pollution by particles in the city of Valencia during the period 2015-2017

e202409048

Abstract

BACKGROUND // Air pollution is a global public health issue, with particulate matter (PM) being the pollutant with the greatest impact on health. The main objective of this article was to estimate the impact of mortality attributable to particulate pollution in the city of Valencia during the period 2015-2017.

METHODS // The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodology from the Aphekom project was used. Scenarios of a 5 µg/m³ reduction in the annual mean concentration of PM₁₀ and PM_2,5 were employed, along with the assumption of meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations in effect during the study period, to estimate both short- and long-term impacts.

RESULTS // The estimated average concentrations for 2015-2017 were 18.4 µg/m³ for PM₁₀ and 12.3 µg/m³ for PM_2,5. The short-term HIA, assuming a reduction of 5 µg/m³ in the averages, resulted in a total of 65.4 premature deaths that could be postponed during that period (21.8 annually), corresponding to a rate of 2.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. In the long term, if PM_2,5 concentrations had been reduced by 5 µg/m³, 124 premature deaths could have been postponed annually.

CONCLUSIONS // The annual average concentrations of these pollutants meet the limits set by European regulations. However, compared to WHO recommendations, PM_2,5 levels are higher by 2.3 µg/m³. An air quality scenario in line with WHO recommendations would have resulted in a reduction of 122 premature deaths annually.