Diagnosis of heat islands in a neighborhood of recife and possible impacts on human health
International Journal of Development Research
Diagnosis of heat islands in a neighborhood of recife and possible impacts on human health
Received 24th September, 2020 Received in revised form 26th October, 2020 Accepted 29th November, 2020 Published online 30th December, 2020
Copyright © 2020, Eduardo Antonio Maia Lins et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Currently, one of the biggest problems in urban areas is the disturbance of the characteristics of the atmosphere in the urban environment. The main reasons for this occurrence are the substitution of natural elements for artificial elements, such as buildings and soil waterproofing. The natural exchange of heat is prevented by the artificial medium and the characteristics of the region's microclimate are changed. The disorderly growth of urban centers brings discomfort when out of alignment with environmental conditions. The phenomenon known as Heat Islands is characterized by an increase in air temperature in areas formed by buildings and low tree density. This phenomenon is intensified when aligned with the high rates of atmospheric emissions. This work aimed to verify the occurrence of the phenomenon of heat islands, characterize its intensity, monitor its development, and suggest probable impacts on human health, having as reference the neighborhood of Boa Viagem, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Measurements were made using temperature and humidity sensors at three points, with reference to an area with significant vegetation density, and other points located in the Boa Viagem neighborhood. The data were collected every half hour, recording them simultaneously in each location, and the measurement was carried out at a time of decrease in the ultraviolet index, between 14h and 16h. Data on dengue cases surveyed at work were provided by the Epidemiological Surveillance Sector of the Recife Health Department. Heat islands in urban centers have a higher incidence of dengue. Through the survey of data obtained at the State Health Department of the State of Pernambuco, it was noted that the infection rate is higher in these regions with a concentration of heat islands, which end up having the highest temperature in relation to other areas. The occurrence of dengue is linked to several factors, but the impact of the climate in this panorama has been gaining attention.
