Determining Critical Air Pollution Areas and their Ecological Impacts on the Cognitive Functions of 8-10 Years Old Girls, Using GIS

Ziba Talaeizadeh, Mozhgan Zaeimdar, Morteza Kashefi Alasl, Reza Marandi, Seyed Ali Jozi

Ekoloji, 2018, Issue 106, Pages: 181-192, Article No: e106047

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Abstract

Air pollution is considered as a destructive toxin of the nerves and ecosystems. Many schools are located in high-traffic streets in Tehran metropolitan, Iran. This study aimed at determining air pollution critical areas and impacts of this pollution on ecosystem and mental function of children at sensitive period of brain development. This was a descriptive-applied research in terms of methodology. According to data obtained from 22 stations for air quality monitoring in Tehran and average annual concentration of AQI pollutants, Tehran air pollution zoning has done in 2017 using Spline interpolation method through Arc GIS-10 and map of critical and healthy areas was drawn. Second step was undertaken using Wechsler test for 90 female students at age of 8-10 living in two areas. In the first area, air pollution was critical and the second area had a healthy air. Cognitive and depression disorders scored based on Wechsler and N-Back tests, respectively. Personal health indices obtained from health record of students to analyse their relation with cognitive disorder using ANOVA tests. Regions 22 and 20 were the most healthy and polluted areas, respectively. Girl children had different verbal, functional and general intelligence in these areas; there was a significant relationship between pollution or cleanness of each area and children’s IQ. In addition, there was a direct and significant relation between air pollution and ecological effects. Thus, required actions should be taken to prevent the pollution of air and the impairment complications in cognitive functions.

Keywords

critical air, zoning, geographic map, intelligence, Wechsler test, ecological effects

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