Air Pollution in High-Risk Sites–Risk Analysis and Health Impact

Abstract

of quantity and cost. In order to assess the related risk of air pollution, it is certainly very important to establish the effects of pollution on human health, but it is also needful to consider some health determinants such as genetic factors, age, sex, and lifestyle habits. Considering all these aspects, our proposal includes a chapter about atmospheric and urban pollution describing their relative and assessed effects on human health, with a detailed regard on risk assessment. In the last decades, a large number of legislations have been issued accepting international subscribed agreement, such as the Kyoto protocol, to save public health and restrict the effects of pollution on climate change. We will also focus on indoor pollution, with its insufficient data and relative problems and difficulties in management, on methodologies of study, and on some case reports. 2. Description of air pollution and characterization of monitored atmospheric pollutants Air pollution, both for indoor or outdoor environments, is caused by several causes like chemical, physical, or biological modification of the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Most common household combustion devices, motor vehicles, and industrial process are anthropogenic sources of air pollution, but also natural sources are very important for air pollution assessment as the forest fires and volcanoes emissions. Particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide today are the most important pollutants for their serious health risks [1]. In Europe, emissions of many air pollutants have decreased significantly the last 30 years, and air quality has improved across the region. However, excess of air quality standards still occurs, especially in metropolitan areas, and air pollutants released in one country may be transported in the atmosphere, polluting or degrading the air quality in neighbouring countries. On the basis of this statement, air pollution can be considered as a local, pan-European, and hemispheric issue [2]. At present, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone are recognized as the three most dangerous pollutants that affect human health, ranging in severity of impact according to long-term and peak exposures. Moreover, benzo(a)pyrene is a carcinogenic substance of increasing concern, as its concentrations are above the threshold set to protect human health in several urban areas, especially in central and eastern Europe. Air pollution could also represent a danger for the environment, producing acidification, eutrophication, and damage to agriculture. There are various sources of air pollution, both anthropogenic and of natural origin, in turn divided in stationary and mobile sources. The most common anthropogenic sources of pollutants are combustion processes used for electricity generation, transport, industry and households, industrial processes and solvent use, agricultural crops and livestock, waste incinerator and landfill. A stationary source of air pollution, also known as a p...

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