The risk of public health damage due to atmospheric emissions from a coal preparation plant

Abstract

The paper assesses the risk to public health from atmospheric air pollution by stationary sources of a coal preparation plant located in the city of Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Region. To assess the risk, the volume of maximum permissible emissions of the enterprise was used, calculations of the maximum and average concentrations of pollutants were carried out at 30 design points using the EKOcenter-Standard program. Public health risks were determined in accordance with the «Guidelines for assessing the risk to public health from exposure to chemicals that pollute the environment.» Based on the determination of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic hazard indices, priority pollutants were identified: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon (soot). The calculation of the maximum one-time and average concentrations of pollutants at the selected impact points showed that the maximum permissible concentrations were not exceeded. Hazard indices for acute and chronic inhalation exposures do not exceed the acceptable level both without background and with background. The total risk of chronic intoxication does not exceed the acceptable value without taking into account the background, but exceeds it, taking into account the background, by 3.06–3.15 times. According to the carcinogenic risk, no excess of the acceptable level was found. The present study showed that the coal preparation plant makes a certain contribution to air pollution in Novokuznetsk without causing significant damage to the health of the urban population. Exceeding the acceptable level of risk of chronic intoxication, taking into account the background exposure to pollutants at all points, can be explained by the general unfavorable environmental situation in the industrial city.