Assessments of Health Risk from Air Pollutions in Russian Cities. B. Revich, Centre of Demography and Human Ecology, Institute of the Forecasting of Russian Academy of Sciences, 32, Krasikova, 117418, Moscow, Russia; and A. Bykov, Russian Economic Academy, Stremiannyi per.28, 113054, Moscow, Russia
This study is devoted to the attempt of elucidation of the contribution of existing atmospheric air pollution to mortality frequency. For this purpose we overwied, combined and averaged the national (EPA, US), international (WHO) and other recommendations for health risk assessments. Based upon the data of stationary control monitoring posts and values of health risks from certain air pollutants, we made the interval and mean assessments of the orders of health risks for population of industrial cities in Russia. The results of our calculations are presented as (1) the absolute quantities of deaths caused by the atmospheric pollution in Russian cities with a certain size of the population under exposure of corresponding pollutants, and (2) the relative contribution of pollutants to the corresponding mortality rates. They show that the contribution to overall mortality that can be caused by air pollution is approximated by few percents. Using a certain classification of risk orders in terms of hazards, we introduced a rough scale guide of risk orders determining a rough guide for hazard scale, and on this basis we made a comparative analysis of danger from air pollutions with main causes of death and nature hazards. This analysis show the relatively hazardous pollutants which must undergo further investigation and be included in cost-benefit analysis for the optimal risk reduction decisions.
The work has been done for the State report "Nature and Environmental Conditions in Russia."