Evaluation of aerial technogenic pollution near industrial enterprises in the tundra zone (by the example of Vorkuta city)

Abstract

The quantitative chemical analysis of snow cover has been carried out for the Vorkuta agglomeration territory. The on-site ingress of pollutants in close proximity to industrial enterprises in Vorkuta is calculated. The schematic maps of substance distribution in snow in the studied area are built using space images. The control levels of aerotechnogenic pollution are established for the city, industrial zones and adjacent territories for the purpose of subsequent ecological monitoring. The pH value of snowmelt water reaches 6.5-7.2 due to a high content of alkaline components (calcium and magnesium carbonates) in snow. The snow cover of the Vorkuta agglomeration is highly enriched with heavy metals. The maximum permissible concentrations are exceeded for manganese, nickel, aluminum, vanadium, molybdenum and mercury. High concentrations of mercury in snow are supposedly related to coal combustion at the thermal power plant. After that mercury may be occluded on a surface of coal particles and ashes. It is shown that it is possible to establish the zones of the greatest aerogenic impact according to the content of mercury and vanadium in the snow. Factor analysis was used to identify the mechanisms of pollutants and factors forming the chemical composition of the snow cover. The share of elements in the suspended solids is more than 60% of their total content in snowmelt water. High concentrations of suspended particles (up to 720 mg/dm3) were observed in the snow of Vorkuta. The most severe pollution of the snow cover is registered in close proximity to thermal power plant №2. According to the calculations of the total pollution index, the highest excess of substance increment over the background level was noted in the sanitary protection zone around the thermal power plant №2.