Cardiovascular impact of PM from the emissions of coal-fired power plants in Spain during 2014.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

One of the main sources of energy in Spain is still coal combustion. It releases multiple pollutants into the atmosphere, such as PM, that has been linked to an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this paper are: 1) to determine the national distribution of these particles and their proximity to coal plants, 2) to estimate the cardiovascular impact of PM particles in Spain in 2014.

METHODS

In order to complete the national pollutant dispersion study, we used the CALPUFF model. The epidemiologic and demographic data were obtained from the National Statistics Institute. The associations «pollutant-effect» were obtained by internationally validated methodologies.

RESULTS

The total number of deaths due to coal pollutants were 709, from which 586 (82.6%) were related to PM particles. Most of them were due to myocardial infarctions, fatal strokes and heart failure, adding up to 170 cases of mortality related to PM (29%). The greatest densities were found in the regions of Asturias and Castilla y León.

CONCLUSIONS

This study describes an increase in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in Spain, due to coal combustion pollutants. It finds a greater impact in the provinces of Asturias and Castilla León, where a higher presence of coal power plants can be found. This reflects that the people that live in those areas have a greater risk of cardiovascular death due to PM pollutant exposure from coal.