Ambient PM2.5: health policy implications and management in Khuzestan, Iran
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a major environmental risk for premature mortality worldwide. This study quantifies the health and economic impacts of PM2.5 exposure in Khuzestan Province of Iran. This study quantifies the health and economic impacts of PM2.5 exposure in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Validated daily PM2.5 data from eight monitoring stations in 2021 were preprocessed, including outlier removal and gap-filling using a PM10-to-PM2.5 conversion factor of 0.45. Population data were projected from the 2016 census. The U.S. EPA's BenMAP-CE tool was used to estimate avoidable premature deaths under two PM2.5 reduction scenarios (10 and 5 μg/m3). This study assessed mortality for five outcomes: acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI), ischemic heart disease (IHD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer (LC), stroke, and all-cause mortality. Economic valuation employed the value of statistical life (VSL), adjusted for Iran's GDP. PM2.5 concentrations (30–55 μg/m3) surpassed WHO limits by 6–11 times, especially in Ahvaz and Omidiyeh. A total of 3174 avoidable deaths per 100,000 were estimated annually under the WHO's 5 μg/m3 guidelines. Among diseases, ischemic heart disease (IHD) accounted for the largest share of avoidable deaths (≈38 %), followed by stroke (≈23 %) and all-cause mortality (≈18 %). The annual economic benefits of reducing PM2.5 under the 5 μg/m3 scenario were estimated at USD 46–236.4 million. The greatest health and economic benefits from improved air quality are expected in Ahvaz (central Khuzestan) and Dezful (north), followed by Abadan and Bandar-e-Mahshahr (southwest). This study highlights the high PM2.5 burden in Khuzestan's urban and industrial centers. Targeted air quality policies in these areas could bring significant health and economic benefits. The results provide a solid basis for targeted policies, including stricter emission controls in high-burden regions, enhanced air quality monitoring, and community-based interventions such as public awareness campaigns in Iran and other middle-income countries.
Date Issued
2025-11-15
Date Acceptance
2025-10-16
Citation
Science of the Total Environment, 2025, 1004
ISSN
0048-9697
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
180767
End Page
180767
Journal / Book Title
Science of the Total Environment
Volume
1004
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41130111
PII: S0048-9697(25)02407-6
Subjects
Iran
Khuzestan
Particulate matter
air pollution
health policy
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Netherlands
Article Number
180767
Date Publish Online
2025-10-22