Jun 2026· IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environment· Vol 1644· 0 citations· 43 references
Physics
TL;DR
The results demonstrate an obvious association among high levels of air pollutants, industrialization, and socio-economic status with a higher incidence of cancer in Baghdad and emphasize the urgent need for effective air quality management policies, relocation of heavy industries outside residential zones, and strengthened environmental health monitoring to reduce the escalating cancer risks in Baghdad.
Abstract
Baghdad is one of the most polluted urban centers in the world. According to reported data, it has many power plants, industrial areas, and oil refineries within or near its residential communities. Continued exposure to toxic gases and fine particulate matter creates serious concerns for public health, especially when evaluating the risk of developing cancer. This study examines the incidence of cancer among 2,783 patients treated in hospitals located within the Al-Karkh and Al-Rusafa districts in Baghdad over two years: 2023 (2,783) and 2024 (2,973). Also, environmental data (i.e., nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), or carbon monoxide (CO)) for both years were provided by the Sentinel-5P satellite. The results of both spatial analysis and statistical analysis demonstrate an obvious association among high levels of air pollutants, industrialization, and socio-economic status with a higher incidence of cancer. The three districts with the greatest concentrations of NO2 and SO2 are Sadr City, Aldoura (home to the Doura Oil Refinery), and Al-Shaab, and they have a significantly greater cancer burden than other districts. In Sadr City, heavy traffic and small industries create the bulk of the pollution, while in Aldoura, the emissions from the Doura Oil Refinery account for the majority of the pollution. Using statistical analysis, the strength of NO2 as a positive correlation with lung cancer (R = 0.72, p < 0.05), the strength of SO2 as a positive correlation with bladder cancer (R = 0.68, p < 0.05), and a weaker correlation for CO for all types of cancer were determined. Further support from the calculated Pearson correlation coefficients for each of the pollutant-cancer pairs across the board showed that NO2 and SO2 had the two highest R values for lung cancer and bladder cancer, respectively. Chi-square tests reinforced these results, indicating that districts with elevated NO2 and SO2 levels were statistically more likely to report higher cancer cases (p < 0.05). These findings emphasize the urgent need for effective air quality management policies, relocation of heavy industries outside residential zones, and strengthened environmental health monitoring to reduce the escalating cancer risks in Baghdad.
Baghdad is one of the most polluted urban centers in the world. According to reported data, it has many power plants, industrial areas, and oil refineries within or near its residential communities. Continued exposure to toxic gases and fine particulate matter creates serious concerns for public health, especially when evaluating the risk of developing cancer. The health data covered major respiratory diseases, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as cancer types including lung cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia. Cancer recorded 2,783 cases in 2023, and 2,973 cases in 2024, and respiratory diseases recorded 2,617 cases in 2023 and 2,527 cases in 2024. Also, environmental data (i.e., nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), or carbon monoxide (CO)) for both years were provided by the Sentinel-5P satellite. Environmental data for the summer and winter seasons of 2023 and 2024, as well as from March to June of 2025, were collected using Sentinel-5P satellite data, focusing on pollutants such as SO2, NO2, and CO. Additionally, field measurements of gas concentrations were obtained for four months of 2025 using the iBrid MX6 multi-gas detector device, which measures CO2, SO2, NO2, NO, CO, and H2S. After the data collection phase, the datasets were verified and analyzed. So, a prediction model was done by using the OLS model applied in two stages. Stage I was used to examine the relationships between air pollutants and disease incidence only. In Stage II, a separate OLS model was developed using a comprehensive set of spatial, temporal, environmental, urban, demographic, and health-related variables.
S. A. Alghanem, G. Al-Kindi, H. I. Alrubaay· IOP Conference Series: Earth...· 0 citations
This study comprehensively evaluates air pollution in Adana, one of Türkiye’s key industrial, urban, and transportation hubs. Using monitoring data from 2023–2025, the concentrations of major pollutants—PM2.5., PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3—were analyzed. The results were compared with standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union (EU), and Türkiye’s national regulations, showing that PM2.5 and PM10 thresholds were frequently exceeded at several stations. A significant finding was that data capture rates remained below 60%, indicating reliability gaps in the monitoring infrastructure and weakening evidence-based policymaking. Primary sources of pollution include coal-fired power plants, the use of low-quality fuels, open burning of agricultural residues, and vehicular emissions. These factors are aggravated by Adana’s geographic and meteorological conditions, such as temperature inversions and low wind speeds, which facilitate pollutant accumulation and increase public health risks. Statistical analyses revealed notable rises in SO2 and particulate matter concentrations during winter due to residential heating, coinciding with higher respiratory illness rates. The study recommends reducing coal dependency, expanding access to natural gas, promoting sustainable transportation, restricting agricultural waste burning, and improving data transparency. The Adana case highlights air pollution as both an environmental and social justice issue.
E. Turan· Doğal Afetler ve Çevre Dergi...· 0 citations
One of the biggest environmental issues in cities is air pollution. Over 80% of urban dwellers are thought to be exposed to air pollution levels above the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended limits. This work aims to compare the air quality index (AQI) with the WHO 2014 guideline during 2024 and to determine the sources of air pollution in the study areas, as well as to compare carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Libya with global emissions. The AirVisual Outdoor monitors were used in this work to measure AQI, PM2.5 PM10 and CO2, The finding revealed the AQI in Benghazi city during the February period was unhealthy for sensitive groups (level 3) and in April period was unhealthy (level 4), in Al Byada city was moderate throughout all periods (level 2), the air quality in Zliten city from January to May period was unhealthy for sensitive groups (level 3) and in the air quality in Tripoli city during February period was unhealthy for sensitive groups (level 3). Zliten city is considered the most polluted city due to the lack of infrastructure and afforestation in the city. Based on PM2.5/PM10 ratios, the natural source and coarse particles of pollution were more prevalent in the studied areas. The concentration of CO2 in Libya was approximately 441 ppm, while the global average reached about 444 ppm, indicating that the distribution of CO2 in the atmosphere is nearly uniform worldwide.
Fares F. Fares, Faraj S. Faraj, Antisar M. Elmajbary et al.· Libyan Journal of Science &...· 0 citations
In recent years, with the significant decline in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations, ozone (O3) has emerged as a major composite air pollutant during the warm season in China, attracting increasing attention due to its associated health burden and economic costs. This study focuses on Tianjin, using ozone monitoring data from 2017 to 2023 combined with health statistics to assess the health impacts and economic losses attributable to ozone pollution. First, ozone exposure indicators and compliance criteria were constructed based on national air quality standards, and the interannual variation and spatial differences of O3 levels were analyzed at both citywide and district scales. Second, multiple machine learning classification models, including logistic regression, decision tree, k-nearest neighbors, and gradient boosting, were developed using ozone and meteorological variables to predict the occurrence risks of five diseases: cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), influenza, and dengue fever. Finally, excess cases were estimated using health impact functions, and the associated economic losses were quantified by combining the value of a statistical life (VSL) with cost-of-illness and willingness-to-pay (WTP) approaches. The results showed that the annual evaluation value of ozone in Tianjin, defined as the 90th percentile of the daily maximum 8 h average O3 concentration, exhibited a pattern of initially increasing, then decreasing, and subsequently rebounding. It peaked at 201 µg/m3 in 2018, declined to a minimum of 164 µg/m3 in 2021, and rebounded to 188 µg/m3 in 2023. Machine-learning results indicated that the logistic regression model showed relatively stable overall performance across predictions of different diseases, while the gradient boosting tree model also achieved high accuracy in predicting certain infectious diseases. Overall, ozone pollution exhibits significant heterogeneous effects across different disease types, and the associated health-related economic losses show stage-wise fluctuations in response to pollution levels. Based on these findings, it is recommended to implement refined control measures during periods of high ozone exceedance and in key regions, while strengthening protection for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and patients with respiratory diseases, in order to achieve synergistic improvements in air quality management and public health outcomes.
The disease burden associated with air pollution is now comparable to that of other major global health threats, including poor nutrition and tobacco use. This study employed the gravitational settling method to collect airborne particles in selected Nigerian cities. The cities include; Benin, Kano, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, and Calabar. Airborne particles were allowed to settle naturally into containers fitted with funnels and placed outdoors at various sub-locations within each State. Sampling was conducted over a nine-month period from January to September 2023. The collected sediments were analyzed spectroscopically using a UV Visible (UV-VIS) Spectrophotometer CE 1101 to determine concentrations of cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn). Results revealed that hazard quotient (HQ) values for all analyzed metals exceeded the recommended safe limit of 1 across all locations. In Benin City, nickel and lead recorded HQ values of 5.5 and 4.0, respectively. Enugu showed particularly elevated levels, with manganese (Mn) at HQ 16 and lead (Pb) at HQ 5, attributed to industrialization and vehicular activities. In Kano, HQ values for lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) were 8.0 and 4.9, respectively. Abuja recorded HQ values of 6.0 for lead (Pb) and 4.9 for nickel (Ni), likely linked to recycling and agricultural activities. Lagos and Calabar also exhibited elevated HQ values, particularly for lead and nickel. Elevated exposure to these toxic elements can pose potential health risks, including neurological, respiratory, and allergic effects, to exposed populations.
Azogor, W. E., Ekah, B. J., Etim, O. E.· Global Journal of Pure and A...· 0 citations
The health hazards caused by air pollution vary significantly depending on factors such as the composition of pollutants in the region, climate, and the susceptibility of the population. Although numerous studies have explored the relationship between air quality and pneumonia, specific research evidence from a particular inland energy city like Qingyang in China is still scarce. This study aims to quantify the short-term impact of air pollution in this under-researched region on pneumonia hospitalizations. We collected the medical records of patients with pneumonia from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019, and also obtained data on 6 types of common air pollutants and meteorological conditions. We performed a time series analysis using a generalized additive model and a distributed nonlinear lag model. All measured data exhibited pronounced seasonality: particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter, particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations and pneumonia admissions were higher in the cold season and lower in the warm season, a pattern conversely mirrored by ozone (O3) concentrations, average temperature, and relative humidity. In the single pollutant model, for every 10 μg/m3 increase in exposure levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter, particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter, SO2, NO2, and O3 8 hours and for every 1 mg/m3 increase in CO exposure level, the risk of pneumonia admission was 1.004 (0.991, 1.017), 1.004 (0.999, 1.010), 1.035 (1.022, 1.048), 1.221 (1.174, 1.271), 0.999 (0.981, 1.017), and 1.382 (1.230, 1.552), respectively. The strongest effects occur in lag 1, lag 7, lag 07, lag 07, lag 3, and lag 05, respectively. Our study identifies significant gender- and age-specific susceptibilities to air pollution in Qingyang. Men were more vulnerable to SO2, whereas women were more affected by CO. Children aged ≤14 years constituted a high-risk group. Furthermore, we observed a distinct seasonal pattern: SO2, NO2, and CO were key drivers of pneumonia admissions with stronger effects in the cold season, in contrast to O3, which exhibited adverse effects only during the warm season.
Lisha Zhu, Jiyuan Dong, Jianhua You et al.· Medicine· 0 citations