Issue

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  What are the impacts of this issue?

The data on acute respiratory diseases (after excluding influenza) confirm the seasonal character of these diseases. The greatest levels are traditionally found for the lowest age category of children. Disease levels amongst adults were much lower. Individual factors, climatic conditions and also, to a certain degree, the level of air pollution affect sickness levels.
It is necessary to approach the results of the ARO studies taking into consideration the fact that the figures correspond to treated diseases, rather than total sickness levels, which is generally higher. The findings of higher incidences of diseases is connected with the occurence of higher pollution levels in the air. On the other hand, higher incidences has also been found as a consequence of epidemics and other factors. 

In line with the current state of knowledge, air quality assessments in cities recognise an increasingly important role of the monitoring of additional factors, such as pollution by persistent organic compounds with a carcinogenic effect. In the framework of the project aimed at monitoring harmful organic substances in Prague air quality measurements in Krakovská and Nekázanka Streets were conducted in 1997. The study was prepared by ECOCHEM, in cooperation with the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and other organizations. In addition to the volatile organic compounds (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), traffic intensity and noise pollution were monitored as well. Results of the measurements have proven toxicologically significant concentrations of benzene in the atmosphere of both monitoring sites. The average concentration in Krakovská and Nekázanka streets were 11.2 µg.m^-3 and 13.9 µg.m^-3, respectively. The average concentration of benzene in surrounding buildings ranged between 9.5 and 9.6 µg.m^-3. The measurements have also indicated high contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in both of them. The average concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in Krakovská and Nekázanka were 3.9 ng.m^-3 and 5.4 ng.m^-3, respectively. It must be noted that a lifelong exposure to a concentration of 1 ng.m^-3 is regarded a health risk. The average concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in surrounding buildings were 1.7 and 2 ng.m^-3, respectively. A risk analysis of inhalation exposure in Nekázanka was conducted for selected population segments. Out of a total of 10 scenarios, nine were assessed as risky. The overall risk factor values (probability of an increased incidence of cancer) ranged between 1.6 . 10^-6 to 1.4 . 10^-6. The only value falling below the acceptable risk level of 1 . 10^-6 was that corresponding to an average one-hour stay out in the street every day for a period of nine years. At the same time, benzo(a)pyrene accounts for 80 % of the overall cancer risk.   



 Atmospheric deposits (both wet and dry) do not rank among the most toxic substances in an urban environment. Still acid rain and rainwater pollution have an adverse impact on the quality of surface water and groundwater, building materials, roads and other objects, thus deteriorating the quality of the living environment of humans as well.