Mortality rates and air pollution levels under different weather conditions: an example from Western Europe

Abstract

According to results of the World Health Organization (WHO) high PM10 concentrations caused a reduction of the average life expectancy of 10.2 months in Germany. The objectives of this study are to determine the influence of the synoptic scale flow patterns on air pollutants and to quantify effects of air pollution on mortality rates. To describe the synoptic situation two weather type classifications of the German Weather Service are used. Additionally, the Air Quality Health Impact Assessment Tool AirQ of the WHO was used to model the effects of air pollution and a model is presented for PM10 forecasts.