Evaluation of noise pollution in Shiraz in 2018

Introduction: Noise pollution has become one of the most serious environ-mental issues in the large cities of Iran. Although several studies have been conducted on noise pollution in different Iranian cities, to date no such study has been done in Shiraz, a city of roughly 1,250,000. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide a map of noise pollution in Shiraz and compare the levels of noise pollution in different parts of the city.   Materials and methods: For this study, 33 areas were selected in Shiraz. The level of noise pollution was measured at the hours of 008:00, 13:00, 18:00 and 22:00. Then, with the aid of ANOVA, the level of noise pollution in each area was compared to those of other areas of the city. Finally, with the help of ArcView GIS, noise pollution maps of Shiraz were prepared.   Results: The results of this study showed that the average noise pollution of Shiraz at the hours of 08:00, 13:00, 18:00 and 22:00 was 58.55, 59.56, 61.1 and 61.07 dB, respectively. On Mondays and Wednesdays, averaging 61.4 and 62 dB, respectively, the highest noise pollution was found in the city of Shiraz. This city’s lowest noise pollution occurred on Friday, Iran’s weekend and day of religious observance, with an average of 56 dB.   Conclusion: Some parts of Shiraz at 13:00, 18:00, and 22:00 had higher noise pollution (70 dB). This study was carried out in late summer 2018, so it is recommended that such studies be conducted in other seasons. The results of this study can be used to create a comprehensive noise pollution management plan in Shiraz.