Air quality in Khorramabad

What is the current level of air pollution in Khorramabad?

Khorramabad - also Romanised as Khorramābād, Khoramabad, Khurramabad, Khorram Abad and occasionally Khur Ramābād is a city and the capital of Lorestan Province, Iran. According to the 2016 census, the estimated population of Khorramabad was 375,000 people.

Towards the middle of 2021, Khorramabad was experiencing a period of “Moderate” air quality with a US AQI reading of 54. This United States Air Quality Index number is an internationally used set of metrics supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is used to compare the air quality in different cities throughout the world using comparable standards. It is calculated by using the concentrations of the six most commonly found pollutants. Not all six are always recorded as was the case here where records are available for just two of the pollutants. The levels of the two pollutants were PM2.5 - 13.5 µg/m³ and carbon monoxide (CO) - 5386.2 µg/m³.

With a level such as this, the advice is to close doors and windows to prevent more dirty air from entering the room. Those of a sensitive disposition are advised to remain indoors or if travel outside is unavoidable, then a good quality mask is recommended. All forms of outdoor exercise should be postponed until the air quality improves. The table at the top of this page will help with that decision.

Does this level of pollution remain constant in Khorramabad?

Air quality can be very volatile as it is affected by many variables such as the seasons of the years, wind speed and direction as well as the strength and length of sunlight hours.

Looking back at the figures published by the Swiss air monitoring company IQAir.com for 2020 it can be seen that the best air quality was found in December when the air quality was “Good” with readings between 10 and 12 µg/m³. The worst month for air pollution was May when the figure was classified as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a reading of 37.2 µg/m³. The remaining ten months of the year recorded “Moderate” air quality when the readings fell between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³.

There were no records kept of air quality before 2020 when the annual average figure was 23.5 µg/m³. However, this may not be an accurate guide as many restrictions came into force because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many vehicles were unused as their drivers were furloughed and permitted to stay and work from their homes. Also there were some factories and other non-essential production facilities that were temporarily closed, thus not emitting pollutants into the environment.

What are the main sources of air pollution in Khorramabad?

According to local reports the amount of air pollution in the cities of Khorramabad, Selseleh, Delfan, Kuhdasht, Poldakhtar and Romeshkan is 5 times the allowable limit and the air in these cities is in very unhealthy conditions, mainly due to the unacceptably high levels of fine particulate matter. The situation is often hindered by low cloud cover and a decrease in wind speeds.

It is believed that on the other hand, the worn-out public transportation system in Khorramabad and the limited use of this system by the people are effective in increasing particulate matter. The Khorramabad transportation network started to use worn-out vehicles.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Khorramabad?

The first step in controlling pollutants is to measure and ascertain their composition, because without full knowledge of the quality and quantity of pollutants, it will not be possible to compare with the relevant standards and ultimately control them.

According to the results of this study that the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the air of Khorramabad is seven times higher than international standards, it can be concluded that the prevention of air pollution is necessary for the city of Khorramabad and requires the design of a proper management system, program Proper planning, continuous monitoring system, and raising public awareness.

The most effective approach to controlling automobile emissions is to design and build cars that release relatively low amounts of pollutants. The Department hopes to achieve this by prescribing emission standards for new cars and carrying out enforcement activities to assure that manufacturers build cars in accordance with the standards. With the passage of standards, Iranian automobile manufacturers and importers will be required to reduce pollutant emissions to specified levels. It is anticipated that as years pass, reduced air pollutant emissions will ensue as a consequence of the increasing proportion of automobiles that meet the standards.

Many of Iran's vehicles have abnormally high emissions because of their poor state of repair and their old age. Moreover, the effectiveness of new car standards, aimed at control of vehicle emission rate, can be substantially reduced or eliminated entirely if the vehicles are not properly maintained. Therefore, the Department has taken steps to initiate a program of periodic emissions inspection for all motor vehicles combined with mandatory maintenance for vehicles whose emissions are found to be excessive. The program will be initiated in Tehran and extended later to other cities. This inspection/maintenance requirement will apply to livery and heavy duty vehicles (taxis, trucks, and buses) as well as private cars.

How does this poor air in Khorramabad affect human health?

Although the destructive effects of air pollution on human health have always been obvious, in recent years more research has shown that air pollution leads to more heart attacks and depression.

The destructive effects of air pollution on the human body are undeniable. Various studies have shown that particulate matter, greenhouse gases and toxins have a negative effect on human particles. Various studies have shown an association between air pollution and skin, gastrointestinal, heart and lung diseases. But even more shocking is the fact that according to a new study, this type of infection also affects brain cells and causes depression in the body.

Even strong healthy people can experience health impacts from polluted air including respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during exercise and outdoor activities. The actual risk of adverse effects depends on the current health status, the pollutant type and concentration, and the length of your exposure to the polluted air. High levels of air pollution can have immediate effects such as adding stress to the heart and lungs, which must then work harder to supply the body with oxygen. Cells within the respiratory system can easily become damaged, often irreparably.