peak air pollution episodes during hajj isobel simpson university of california, irvine irvine,...
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Peak Air Pollution Episodes During
HajjIsobel Simpson
University of California, Irvine Irvine, California, USA
Haider A. KhwajaNew York State Dept. of Health and
SPH, Univ. at AlbanyAlbany, New York, USA
Azhar SiddiqueKing Abdulaziz University
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi [email protected]
Tao WangHong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong, [email protected]
Funded by: King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaProf. Omar S. Aburizaiza
Air pollution is a top global killer (7 million deaths; WHO).
Particulate Matter (PM), a major component of
outdoor air pollution is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) (IARC).
Air quality during the Hajj season sharply deteriorates, exposing pilgrims to dangerous levels of pollutants.
For more on this study: Haider A. Khwaja et al., Poster Number A13C-3189
Extremely high levels of air pollutants
during the Hajj period.
PM7 , PM2.5 , O3 , and BC
concentrations of up to 9,433 µg/m³ ,
484 µg/m³ , 444 ppb, and 468 µg/m³ ,
respectively.
Exceeded the WHO standards for
PM10 , PM2.5 , and O3 by many folds.
PM10 % Increase in Daily Mortality:
6 – 700
PM10 % Increase in Hospital Admissions:
7.2 – 840
PM10 % Change in Cough:
39 – 4550
PM10 % Change in Symptom
Exacerbation: 30 - 3450
Estimated Risk for Pilgrims Health during Hajj
Congested traffic and the high rates of emissions Longer trip
durations higher exposure of gaseous and particulate pollutants for
longer periods of time increase in pilgrim’s health risks.
Reducing the high levels of air pollutants the pilgrim’s breathe
during the Hajj will prevent non-communicable diseases.
Better understanding of air pollution exposure and their
determinants in the environments will contribute to the development
of more appropriate exposure reductive strategies and have
significant public health meanings.
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