Hazard assessment of the impact of high temperature and air pollution on public health in Moscow
In the article there are considered the main problems of assessing public health risks of the combined effects of high temperatures and air pollution with the account taken of the consequences of abnormally hot weather observed in summer 2010 in Moscow and without equals in the history of meteorological measurements in the city. The daily average concentrations of fine suspended particles matter (PM10) in the city during peatlandfires from 4 to 9 August are emphasized to be within the range of 431-906 y/m <sup>3</sup>, being 7,2-15,1 times the Russian maximum permissible concentration (MPCs) (60 y/m3). The anomalous heat and high levels of air pollution in this period were shown to cause a significant increase in excess mortality among the population of Moscow. There was established the relative gain in mortality from all natural causes per 10 mg/m <sup>3</sup> increase in daily average concentrations ofPM10 and ozone, which was respectively: 0.47% (95%; CI: 0.31-0.63) and 0.41% (95%; CI: 0.31-1.13). On the base of the statistical analysis of daily mortality rates, meteorological indices, the concentrations ofPM10 and ozone there was developed marking scale for the risk assessment of these indices accordingly to 4 gradings - low (permissible), warning, alert, and a hazard level. There has been substantiated the importance of the introduction of the system for the early alert for hazard weather events and the unified rating scale for the hazard of high air temperatures and high levels of air pollution with PM10 and ozone, which allows to take timely measures for the protection of the public health.