URBAN AIR-QUALITY AND HUMAN HEALTH - A TORONTO PERSPECTIVE

A study was undertaken Eo examine the health implications of ambient air quality in Toronto. Selected criteria pollutants were measured at low, medium and high traffic sites. Criteria pollutants emitted from vehicles showed a direct relationship with traffic density. Three pollutants (ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulates) overlapped periodically with levels demonstrated in the scientific literature to have adverse effects on human health. In addition, trace toxic compounds were measured at various Toronto locations and supplemented with data from other agencies. Based on composite data from 25 sampling locations, 160 compounds, including several carcinogens, were detected. The health significance of these pollutants was examined through quantitative risk assessment procedures. For several chemicals detected, levels were sufficiently high to raise concerns for public health. This study illustrates how one health unit utilized and supplemented provincial and federal air monitoring data to develop a public health perspective on local air quality.