ASSESSMENT OF RISKS TO THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION FROM AIR BORNE CONTAMINANTS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF MOSCOW (BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF ON-GOING SOCIO-HYGIENIC MONITORING)

Abstract

There was executed the assessment of carcinogen and non-carcinogen risks for population health in some areas of the western, south-western and south-eastern administrative districts of Moscow under the exposure to air borne contaminants whose levels are kept track by various government agencies as part of the socio-hygienic monitoring. The value of chronic non-carcinogenic risks to the health of the population as measured according to the danger index for the combined impact of average annual concentrations of leading air borne contaminants with unidirectional impacts are at near alarming or high level depending on the location of monitoring outposts while for on-off short term exposure to maximum concentrations the impacts are at alarming or acceptable level. The highest danger indices were detected at outposts located near major motorways and industrial facilities. According to monitoring data collected by all agencies the air borne contaminants pose the highest risk to the respiratory organs due to exposure to formaldehyde, air-borne particles and nitrogen dioxide. The extra deaths resulting from chronic exposure to РМ10, estimated by the Moscow Environmental Monitoring make up about 1% of the total mortality rate without bearing in mind of external causes for the population residing in the western, south western and south eastern administrative districts. The total individual carcinogenic risks resulting from the exposure to average annual concentration of a number of carcinogens was found to be between the acceptable and alarming levels. The leading compound contributing to the increased carcinogenic risk is formaldehyde.