Title: Assessment of drought damage of Hamoun wetland on health condition of inhabitants of Sistan region

Authors: Majid Dahmardeh

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Economics, Payame Noor University (PNU), Iran

Abstract: To assess the adverse effects of dust particles resulting from Hamoun wetland on human health in Sistan in 2014, the computerised model, Air Q2.2.3 22 was used. The results showed that together with complete dryness of Hamoun wetland in a total area of 73,000 hectares, the total dust emissions from the dry area is 920.53 µg/m³. This rate of pollution can increase mortality rate, the number of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases by 12.61%, 25.22% and 50.44%, respectively. The total dry area under water shortage condition of this wetland is 57,000 hectares and the rate of dust emission from this area is 718.77 µg/m³. This level of pollution can increase the mortality rates in the Sistan region by 9.8% and increase the trend of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases by 19.69% and 39.38%, respectively.

Keywords: Hamoun wetlands; Iran; air pollution; dust particles; human health; drought damage; dust emissions; cardiovascular diseases; water shortage; mortality rate; respiratory diseases; water shortages.

DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2016.082195

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.12 No.4, pp.335 - 352

Received: 07 Oct 2015
Accepted: 09 Sep 2016
Published online: 12 Feb 2017 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article