Atmospheric pollution in brazilian cities: a brief review of impacts in public health and the environment

Abstract

It is estimated that currently about 50% of the world population lives in cities and urban areas may be subject to increasing levels of air pollutants. Among the materials considered as atmospheric pollutants are gases and particulate matter, mainly from anthropic sources, such as motor vehicles and industries. It is estimated that in Brazil, the degradation of atmospheric air quality can cause approximately 20 thousand deaths/year, five times higher than the death caused by environmental/passive smoking, and 10.7 thousand deaths/year resulting from air pollution in indoor environments. In this sense, the objective of the research is to develop a bibliographic survey about the main impacts of air pollution on public health and the environment, based on studies published since 2008. The research is classified as exploratory, approaching the problem flexibly and considering several aspects of the fact studied. The studies presented show that the major urban centers are the most susceptible to air pollution and that, in general, the most vulnerable populations are those with the lowest purchasing power and the age groups most affected by health problems are children and the elderly, monitoring through health indicators and bioindicators are valid instruments in the observation of impacts related to air pollution.