CR prepress abstract  -  doi: 10.3354/cr00752

ABSTRACT: The paper determines the relationship of the characteristic weather types of the Carpathian Basin in the summer – early autumn period (July 15 – October 15) and the winter months (December, January and February) with the levels of chemical (CO, NO, NO₂, NO₂/NO, O₃, O_3max, SO₂, PM₁₀) and biological (pollen) air pollutants, and their effect on respiratory diseases. The database comprises daily values of thirteen meteorological parameters; eight chemical and eight biological pollutants, and the number of patients for the period 1999-2003, in Szeged, Hungary. Altogether 9 symptom groups of respiratory diseases and their occurrences were taken into account. In the summer – early autumn period altogether 26,703 patients, while in the winter months 14,507 patients registered with respiratory diseases were considered. The objective definition of the characteristic weather types was carried out by using Factor and Cluster Analysis. In the winter months there is no relationship between the weather types and the patient numbers. On the other hand, in the summer – early autumn period weather type 7 with a weak anticyclonic ridge character and with the highest patient number is linked to high temperature parameters (T_mean, T_max, T_min), low relative humidity, as well as high chemical and biological pollutant levels. At the same time, type 2 (anticyclonic ridge character) indicates the lowest patient number and is characterised by high temperature and medium relative humidity parameters, furthermore, high levels of the chemical and low levels of the biological air pollutants. Results on the relationships of the meteorological parameters and chemical air pollutants as well as weather types will be built in a model to predict, and in this way to prepare for, the days of severe risk of respiratory illnesses.