INFLUENCE OF BENZO(A)PYRENE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND POPULATION HEALTH (BY EXAMPLE OF IVANOVO)

Abstract

The paper presents the results of measurements of the content of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) in the snow cover in the territory of the Ivanovo city. It was revealed that the concentration of BaP at the controlled points is 2.7 times higher than the background level on average. The degree of pollution of the snow cover in Ivanovo is much less than in Moscow (the level of excess varies in the range 2.3 - 89 times). The intake levels (from 0.02 μg/m2 to 3.76 μg/m2) and deposition density (0.02 - 1.88 ng/m2 · day-1) of BaP are estimated that are commensurate with the values typical for such areas, as urban areas of Germany and Canada. Interpolation the BaP concentrations in snow is allowed to reveal anomalies in the city with BaP content of 35 ng/l, which is 7 times higher than the average value for the whole city. The obtained data made it possible to estimate the BaP concentration in atmospheric air, which on the average is 0.7· 10-6 mg/m3, which is 0.7 fraction of the maximum permissible concentration. The values of individual carcinogenic risk for public health were calculated, which amounted to 0.6·10-6 and 1.6·10-6, which corresponds to negligible individual risk (for the adult population) or corresponds to the maximum allowable level (for children), respectively. The obtained results allowed to evaluate the environmental risk from pollution of the snow cover with BaP, the level of which corresponds to a moderate one, however, indicates a potential public health hazard related to the ability of the BаP to accumulate in environmental objects. It is established that the most likely source of BaP is automobile transport. The contribution of the fuel and energy complex should be much less.