Health impact assessment of air pollution in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

The aim of the present study was to perform the first analysis of predictive scenarios for a reduction in air pollution and associated costs in one of the largest metropolises in Brazil (city of Fortaleza). The pollutants analyzed were particulate matter (PM) from 2.5 to 10 μm (PM2.5 and PM10) between the years 2015 and 2017. We evaluated the benefits to health that could be achieved if pollutant concentrations were reduced to certain values. Considering the predictive scenarios, a short-term reduction in PM10 by 5 μg m−3 would have avoided more than 130 hospitalizations due to cardiorespiratory diseases per year and a reduction by 20 μg m−3 would have avoided 410 hospitalizations. In monetary terms, this is equivalent to US$ 62,631.84 and US$ 191,329.24, respectively. For the long term, a reduction of 5 μg m−3 in PM2.5 levels have avoided more than 200 such hospitalizations and a reduction of 10 μg m−3 would have avoided more than 580 hospitalizations, corresponding to US$ 780,595,109.24 and US$ 2,239,924,053.64, respectively. •There are few studies on the costs of air pollution in developed and developing countries.•We observed that public policies, such as improving urban mobility, may be responsible for the decrease in hospitalizations.•The results will be useful to sensitize public administrators to invest in public policies that guarantee human well-being.