Health Impact Assessment of Short-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter (PM10) in Northern Thailand

Abstract

In northern Thailand, in recent decades, particulate pollution from the burning of biomass has become a serious issue with toxicological implications for human health, especially during the winter months of January to April. The purpose of this study was to explore short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10) in northern Thailand. The high PM10 concentration in 2012 was used as a case study. We used the EPA’s Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program-Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) for the health impact assessment, along with ground-based measurement data. The annual average observed PM10 concentration was in the range of 43–61 μg/m3, with a maximum observed PM10 concentration of 300 μg/m3 in March. We then assessed the impacts of PM10 exposure in northern Thailand. When the PM10 concentration was reduced to 120 μg/m3, the undesirable effects on respiratory mortality decreased by 5%–11%. When the concentration of PM10 was reduced to 45 μg/m3, the deleterious effects on respiratory mortality decreased by 11–30%. In conclusion, adherence to the WHO-AQG, particularly for PM10 (45 μg/m3), tends to result in considerable reductions in respiratory disease mortality in northern Thailand.