[Health aspects of air quality].

The pollution of air is one of the most pressing public service problems resulting from the process of urbanization, industrialization and traffic expansion. Air quality control is carried out continually with the aim of assessing the situation and proposing prophylaxis measures. Our investigations focussed on air sediment, soot and sulphur dioxide. With regard to engine exhaust gases, the paper presents the concentration data for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and lead. Our findings point to a significant presence of all the parameters investigated, which is in accordance with the findings of other authors. The quantities of lead determined in the air give rise to special concern, classifying the air into the second or even, third quality class. Bearing the problem of chronic plumbism in mind, this pollutant is a serious health risk for all citizens, especially younger ones. It is present both directly in the air we breathe and indirectly, since lead residues were discovered in the plants growing along major motorways in the range of up to 200 m. The concentrations of soot also had an increasing tendency in the heating season, classifying the air into the third quality class. The quantities of other air quality indicators, such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and air sediment ranged within the limits allowed. In addition, an increasing tendency was observed both for acute and chronic diseases in the morbidity rate of adults living in Novi Sad and Vojvodina. In order to prevent air pollution and its detrimental effects to human health it is necessary to relocate the polluting facilities, analyze all the factors or urban life and the technological problems involved.