Estimation of Particulate Matter Impact on Human Health within the Urban Environment of Athens City, Greece
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
- The coordinates of the monitoring site.
- The total exposed population which is assumed to be the population of the whole city-municipality where the air pollution monitoring station is located.
- The number of days in which the mean daily PM10 concentration falls within categories of intervals of 10 μg/m3 (e.g., 0–9, 10–19, 20–29 μg/m3, etc.).
- The annual and seasonal arithmetic mean of mean daily values.
- The annual 98th percentile of mean daily values.
- The annual and seasonal maximum daily values.
- The relative risk (RR).
3. Results and Discussion
4. Conclusions
- (1)
- Since 2000, the metro (underground) with two new lines began operating, servicing about 1,000,000 people per day. This means that a mean number of about 250,000 vehicles are not in use within the GAA, improving the air quality.
- (2)
- Since 2001, the new International Airport began operating. In contrast with the new airport, the old one was very close to the city and the sea. Thus, the south wind transfers pollutants within the GAA, which are trapped due to the surrounding high mountains.
- (3)
- Since 2002, the new highway through the GAA, called Attiki Odos, began operating. This highway is located from east to west, connecting the most densely populated areas of the GAA with the new International Airport. Lower emissions of pollutants in the atmosphere appear due to the fact that the cars are running at high speeds.
- (4)
- Since 2002, the Bus Lanes (BL) began operating within the GAA. These BL are exclusively for buses only. As a result, the mean speed of buses was increased significantly. Thus, fewer buses are able to cover the same distance in less time than before. By this way, there is lower pollutants emission and also buses become more attractive to the public, thus reducing the number of private vehicles on the streets.
- (5)
- Finally, the economic crisis since 2008 has prevented people from using their cars and using oil for heating, reducing oil consumption and pollutants emissions as well.
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Station | Abbreviated Station Name | Area | Population | Longitude | Latitude |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agia Paraskevi | AGP | S-BG | 60,000 | 37°59′42″ | 23°49′10″ |
Lykovrissi | LYK | S-T | 31,000 | 38°04′11″ | 23°46′35″ |
Maroussi | MAR | S-T | 73,000 | 38°01′51″ | 23°47′14″ |
Thrakomakedones | THR | S-BG | 107,000 | 38°08′37″ | 23°45′29″ |
Piraeus | PIR | CC-T | 164,000 | 37°56′36″ | 23°38′51″ |
Aristotelous | ARI | CC-T | 664,000 | 37°59′16″ | 23°43′39″ |
Location | Period | Mean Annual PM10 Concentration (μg/m3) | Number of HARD Cases Per 100,000 Inhabitants | RR | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Volos, Greece | 2007–2011 | 41.2 | 32 | 1.008 | [12] |
Suwon City, Seoul, South Korea | 2011 | 52.0 | 39 | 1.008 | [10] |
Tehran, Iran | 2010 | 90.6 | 77 | 1.008 | [9] |
Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia | 2012–2013 | 195.5 | 2504 | 1.096 | [11] |
South Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt | 2008–2009 | 267.0 | 4919 | 1.274 | [6] |
North Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt | 2008–2009 | 306.0 | 10,941 | 1.138 | [6] |
North Helwan, Cairo, Egypt | 2008–2009 | 382.0 | 5002 | 1.290 | [6] |
South Helwan, Cairo, Egypt | 2008–2009 | 441.0 | 4053 | 1.377 | [6] |
Aristotelous (Athens city center), Greece | 2001–2013 | 50.1 | 40 | 1.008 | Present work |
Lykovrissi, Greece | 2001–2013 | 50.3 | 40 | 1.008 | Present work |
Maroussi, Greece | 2001–2013 | 44.5 | 35 | 1.008 | Present work |
Piraeus (port), Greece | 2001–2013 | 44.2 | 36 | 1.008 | Present work |
Agia Paraskevi, Greece | 2001–2013 | 32.1 | 21 | 1.008 | Present work |
Thrakomakedones, Greece | 2001–2013 | 30.0 | 20 | 1.008 | Present work |
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Moustris, K.P.; Ntourou, K.; Nastos, P.T. Estimation of Particulate Matter Impact on Human Health within the Urban Environment of Athens City, Greece. Urban Sci. 2017, 1, 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci1010006
Moustris KP, Ntourou K, Nastos PT. Estimation of Particulate Matter Impact on Human Health within the Urban Environment of Athens City, Greece. Urban Science. 2017; 1(1):6. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci1010006
Chicago/Turabian StyleMoustris, Konstantinos P., Kleopatra Ntourou, and Panagiotis T. Nastos. 2017. "Estimation of Particulate Matter Impact on Human Health within the Urban Environment of Athens City, Greece" Urban Science 1, no. 1: 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci1010006