Human health risk assessment of major air pollutants at transport corridors of Delhi, India

Publication date: Available online 13 June 2018 Source:Journal of Transport & Health Author(s): Amrit Kumar, Rajeev Kumar Mishra The present study undertake an assessment of human health risk regarding mortality and morbidity induced by multiple air pollutants prevailing at 36 transport corridors of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, India. The study, covering PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2, utilized the Risk of Mortality/Morbidity due to Air Pollution (Ri-MAP) model in a bid to assess the direct health impacts in the year 2016. The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines were used to calculate mortality and morbidity for the population in 4 km2 grid sizes in the vicinity of all transport corridors and the results indicate that aggravated by the vehicular traffic, the highest number of excess cases of relative excess mortality respiratory, cardiovascular and total mortality were reported at ISBT Flyover (365, 1399 and 2136), closely followed by Wazirabad Road (362, 1378 and 2096) respectively. These two transport corridors also recorded a maximum number of excess cases of morbidity regarding hospital admission due to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and cardiovascular illness as 18,979 and 4762 as well as 18,969 and 4761 respectively. Further, excess numbers of cases were reported in 4 km2 grid sizes alongside the transport corridors throughout the megacity of Delhi, thereby presenting a very plausible scenario of traffic-induced human hea...
Source: Journal of Transport and Health - Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research