Background Concentrations Of Pollutants Research Articles

Impact of traffic policy on travel population exposure during heavy pollution episodes: A Chengdu case study

Previous studies on exposure have often omitted the impact of travelers' response to policies during air pollution, particularly for multi-modal traffic system. To address this gap, we investigate the population exposure of three modes (cars, buses, and metro) during morning rush hour in Chengdu, China, amidst the implementation of contingent traffic-related policies during heavy pollution episodes with elevated background pollutant concentrations of PM2.5. We introduce a trip-based average population exposure model to evaluate travel population exposure. This model allows to calculate the exposure for all modes, and assess its changes owing to modal shifts. Additionally, we propose a traffic-modal exposure coefficient to quantify PM2.5 exposure disparities among traffic modals. The results indicate that: the population exposure of total travelers experiences a growth effect, influenced not only by increased pollutant concentration but also by modal shift. Lastly, the inside-to-outside ratio, bus waiting time, and attractiveness of active traveler are discussed for more policy implications. This study not only offers a quantitative model to uncover potential overestimation of the effect of policies on reducing exposure if failure to consider modal shift, but also provides valuable insights for managing exposure growth to safeguard health of urban residents and promote sustainable development of cities.

Исследование химического состава воды подземного источника, расположенного на пойменном участке реки Малка в нижнем течении

The analysis of an undergroundsourcewaterchemicalcomposition located inthe floodplain oftheMalka River,the largestriver flowing through the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, is presented. Data on the quantitativecontent of the groundwater ion-saltcomposition components serve as indicators to identify background concentrations of pollutants in river waters. The observation results of the intra-annual dynamics of flow, temperature, transparency, pH, mineralization, hardness, permanent oxidability, concentrations of carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, nitrites, nitrates, and total iron are presented. The qualitative trace element composition has been determined. The results of sanitary and microbiological analysis are presented. The theoretical analysis allows us to conclude that the chemical composition of the water under study follows general patterns. The constancy of the underground source waters temperature indicates the deep occurrence of aquifers. The chemical composition of water is determined by the composition of minerals and rocks, which it comes into contact with, remains almost constant throughout the year and, to a small extent, depends on climatic conditions on the surface. Data on the concentration of components of the ion-salt composition and microflora characterizing the water quality of an underground source were obtained. The water of an underground source refers to neutral, fresh, medium hardness, bicarbonate waters that are not contaminated with pathogenic microflora.

Costs of Air Pollution in California's San Joaquin Valley: A Societal Perspective of the Burden of Asthma on Emergency Departments and Inpatient Care.

The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is often recognized as one of the most polluted regions in the US. Periods of pollution exposure are associated with increased health burden related to respiratory inflammation and undermined lung function, which aggravates respiratory diseases such as asthma and leads to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing. Asthma costs US$ 82 billion annually in healthcare costs, missed work and school in the US. Employing a societal perspective, a cost of illness design was combined with environmental epidemiological methods to analyze the economic impact of O3, NO2, and PM2.5-related adverse respiratory health outcomes amongst SJV residents who attended the emergency department (ED) or were hospitalized in 2016. Asthma exacerbations monetized value ranged from US$ 3353 to US$ 5003 per ED visit and for hospital admissions US$ 2584 per inpatient day for adults 65 years and older to US$ 3023 per child. The estimated value to society in healthcare costs, productivity losses, school absences, and opportunity costs from air pollution adverse health outcomes totaled US$ 498,014,124 in ED visits and US$ 223,552,720 in hospital admissions for the SJV population in 2016. The marginal reduction in the background concentrations of pollutants would avert 21,786 ED adverse events and 19,328 hospitalizations from the health burden on the SJV population or US$ 8,024,505 cost savings due to O3, US$ 82,482,683 from NO2 reductions, and US$ 46,214,702 from decreased concentration of PM2.5. This study provides evidence that air pollution is a negative externality that imposes substantial social, environmental, and healthcare costs on the SJV. Furthermore, the region would avert significant adverse health outcomes realizing economic savings by reducing air pollution and exposures.

Functionalized magnetic chitosan-based adsorbent for efficient tetracycline removal: Deep investigation of adsorption behaviors and mechanisms

As removal performance of tetracyclines in traditional wastewater treatment plants cannot satisfy the increasingly strict discharge requirements, developing an efficient approach to overcome this problem is quite urgent. Herein, a novel functionalized magnetic chitosan-based adsorbent (Fe3O4@CAA) with core-shell structure and unique magnetic responsiveness was facilely prepared by ultrasound-initiated radical grafting copolymerization and cross-link reaction. The as-prepared Fe3O4@CAA was fully characterized with TEM, SEM, BET, FTIR, TGA, XRD, VSM, and served as an efficient adsorbent for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) removal. Adsorption behaviors of TCH by Fe3O4@CAA were deeply evaluated at different adsorption time, initial TCH concentration, reaction temperature, solution pH, and background pollutant concentration. Results showed that Fe3O4@CAA presented a more competitive adsorption capacity of 325.04 mg g−1 compared with Fe3O4@CS and other reported adsorbent, due to the introduction of more active adsorption sites by abundant functional groups, including amino groups, hydroxyl groups, and sulfonic acid groups. After saturated adsorption, TCH loaded Fe3O4@CAA was easily collected by magnetic separation, and recycled after acid pickling. Fe3O4@CAA was successfully reused in five adsorption-desorption cycles, without obvious adsorption capacity loss. In binary pollutant systems, inorganic cations and Pb(II) restrained TCH adsorption by competitive effect, while proper amount of Cu(II) promoted TCH adsorption by bridge effect. FTIR and XPS analyses revealed that the adsorption mechanism of TCH by Fe3O4@CAA mainly included electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, and Cu(II) could play a “mediator” role to form a strong Cu(II)-TCH complex to enhance TCH removal performance. This study provides an effective strategy for the design of magnetic chitosan-based adsorbents and valuable guidance for the removal of tetracyclines from wastewater.

Changes in industrial air pollution and the onset of childhood asthma in Quebec, Canada

Ambient air pollution has been associated with asthma onset and exacerbation in children. Whether improvement in air quality due to reduced industrial emissions has resulted in improved health outcomes such as asthma in some localities has usually been assessed indirectly with studies on between-subject comparisons of air pollution from all sources and health outcomes. In this study we directly assessed, within small areas in the province of Quebec (Canada), the influence of changes in local industrial fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations, on changes in annual asthma onset rates in children (≤12 years old) with a longitudinal ecological design. We identified the yearly number of new cases of childhood asthma in 1282 small areas (census tracts or local community service centers) for the years 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2015. Annual average concentrations of industrial air pollutants for each of the geographic areas, and three sectors (i.e., pulp and paper mills, petroleum refineries, and metal smelters) were estimated by the Polair3D chemical transport model. Fixed-effects negative binomial models adjusted for household income were used to assess associations; additional adjustments for environmental tobacco smoke, background pollutant concentrations, vegetation coverage, and sociodemographic characteristics were conducted in sensitivity analyses. The incidence rate ratios (IRR) for childhood asthma onset for the interquartile increase in total industrial PM2.5, NO2, and SO2 were 1.016 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.006–1.026), 1.063 (1.045–1.090), and 1.048 (1.031–1.080), respectively. Positive associations were also found with pollutant concentrations from most individual sectors. Results suggest that changes in industrial pollutant concentrations influence childhood asthma onset rates in small localities.

Рациональное соотношение качества воды водного объекта и качества сбрасываемых сточных вод

Purpose: To develop a methodology for determining a rational relationship between the water quality of water bodies and the quality of wastewater discharged into them with existing investments in the reconstruction of industrial wastewater treatment systems of several water users within one water basin. Methods: Analytical solution of the problem of determining the optimal purity of water in the river in the conditions of implementation of water protection measures with limited financial resources and their rational distribution among water users. Results: Relative financial resources for water protection measures in the Russian Federation are insufficient and at the same time have been declining over the past 30 years. Despite this, the maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants in wastewater discharged into water bodies and wastewater disposal systems in the Russian Federation are often very strict, sometimes even tougher than for drinking water, which leads to unjustified investment costs. It is also noted that at present, market relations in the field of nature management, including in the field of water use, have not yet been fully formed in the Russian Federation. The main difficulties of implementing these relations in this country are outlined. With the help of the proposed methodology, a reasonable relationship between the water quality of a watercourse and the quality of wastewater discharged into them, as well as a rational distribution of financing between water users, is determined on a concrete example. It is shown that the economically justified requirements for effluents discharged into a water body are background concentrations of pollutants in the water of this water body. Practical significance: The practical feasibility of the proposed methodology, which can be recommended for practical application, is demonstrated using an example.

Unveiling Air Pollution in Crimean Mountain Rivers: Analysis of Sentinel-5 Satellite Images Using Google Earth Engine (GEE)

This article presents an assessment of atmospheric pollutant concentrations based on state-of-the-art geoinformation research methods that utilize Sentinel-5 satellite imagery, the cloud computing platform Google Earth Engine (GEE), and ArcGIS 10.8 software. The spatial distributions of some pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, methane) in the atmosphere are analyzed on the example of the basins of the Zapadnyy Bulganak, Alma, Kacha, Belbek, and Chernaya rivers on the north-western slope of the Crimean Mountains. The concentrations of the average annual and average monthly values of pollutants for each catchment area are compared. The GEE (Google Earth Engine) platform is used for extracting annual and monthly average rasters of pollutant substances, while ArcGIS is utilized for enhanced data visualization and in-depth analytical processing. Background concentrations of pollutants within protected natural areas are calculated. By comparing the spatial and temporal distribution of pollutant values with the background concentrations within these protected areas, a complex index of atmospheric pollution is constructed. The spatial and temporal variability of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations has been thoroughly examined. Based on the regression analysis (R > 0.85), the field of values of the total amount of emissions (which are analyzed for only six points in the study area and in the surrounding areas) was restored on the basis of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the field of distribution of nitrogen dioxide values (NO2). Since air pollution can have negative consequences, both for human health and for the ecosystem as a whole, this study is of great importance for assessing the ecological situation within the river basins of the north-western slope of the Crimean Mountains. This work also contributes to a general understanding of the problem of gas emissions, whose study is becoming increasingly relevant. The aim of this research is to assess the potential application of Sentinel-5 satellite imagery for air quality assessment and pollution analysis within the river basins of the north-western slopes of the Crimean Mountains. The significance of this study lies in the innovative use of Sentinel-5 satellite imagery to investigate air pollution in extensive regions where a regular network of observation points is lacking.

Critical analysis of the determining factors of environmental hazard and measures to reduce it in the system «boiler house – heat consumers – environment»

Purpose. Analysis of the determining factors of the ecological danger of urban boiler houses according to the volume of pollutant emissions and their dispersion in the city atmosphere, as well as a critical review of the existing means of saving heat and fuel resources, aimed at reducing the specified emissions and increasing the level of environmental safety of urban areas. The methods. A critical analysis of the characteristics of urban boiler houses and their environmental hazards was carried out based on the volume of emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, which were determined according to the normative calculation method, and the analysis of existing approaches to the conservation of heat and fuel resources was carried out taking into account the technologies of building insulation. Findings. Іt is shown that, due to the large number of municipal boilers, they are the only source of urban pollution scattered throughout the city, which reduces the environmental safety of the city in proportion to rising emissions and consumption of boilers, valuable fuel resources. The originality. For the first time it was proved that the contribution of boilers to the total background concentration of pollutants in the urban atmosphere, in particular, the content of nitrogen dioxide in the number of other oxides, is about 20%, which allows to classify all municipal boilers as a significant air pollution with industrial enterprises and motor transport. Practical implementation. It is shown that the insulation of buildings, as a type of technology for the reconstruction of their facades, reaches 87% of all major repairs of buildings, and in the reconstruction of multi-storey residential buildings in cities with large obsolete (about 50… 100 years of operation) housing should be considered promising "Wet facades".

Spatial and temporal assessment of surface water quality in municipal water bodies of the city of Tyumen

The purpose of the study is a spatio-temporal assessment of the quality of surface water for water bodies of municipal importance in Tyumen in the current conditions of urban economy. A grouping of 16 municipal ponds and waterlogged quarries was carried out according to the results of the water quality assessment. The period of water sampling for the study: 2018–2021; spring, summer and autumn dates of each year of study, a total of 12 observation dates. Analyzed indicators: biochemical oxygen consumption (BOD5), chemical oxygen consumption (COD), dry residue, General, Zn, Na, chloride-anions. The results of the study: all municipal reservoirs of Tyumen during the study had repeatedly exceeding the established values of the maximum permissible concentrations for water bodies of fishery significance in three or more indicators. Most municipal facilities are included in the group of highly hazardous reservoirs, characterized by fixing the excess of the MPC value in water for several indicators, including the heavy metal Zn. The group of reservoirs of the background concentration of pollutants includes the watered quarry “Willow”, in which exceedances were recorded for BOD5, COD and Fe, which is typical for Tyumen natural conditions. The waterlogged quarry “Chistye” and the pond “On Dambovskaya” are classified as extremely dangerous reservoirs, they are characterized by the presence of exceeding the values of the MPC in the water for all indicators, with the exception of the dry residue. The waterlogged quarry “Maisky” is classified as a group of extremely dangerous degraded reservoirs, since during the analyzed time period it recorded exceedances of the MPC values in the water for all indicators. On the example of bottom sediments of the pond “Yuzhny”, a partial section of the ratio of pollutant content at 2 sampling points within the boundaries of the municipal reservoir is shown. Based on the results of the study, recommendations are given for the city authorities to conduct a differentiated approach to the organization of water use for water bodies from different groups.

Calculation of seasonal agricultural grey water footprint in monsoon region based on river reference conditions

Grey water footprint accounting is of great significance to water resources management. The two important parameters of grey water footprint accounting, the natural background concentration of pollutants and the pollutant export coefficient, have obvious seasonal differences in the monsoon region, while the possible seasonal differences of grey water footprint in the monsoon region had been less considered in the previous research of grey water footprint accounting. This paper calculated the seasonal agricultural grey water footprint of Zhangjiakou City in North China by taking the river reference condition of total phosphorus as its natural background concentration and considering the seasonal difference of river reference condition of total phosphorus and the pollutant export coefficient. The results showed that the agricultural grey water footprint calculated with the reference condition of total phosphorus as the natural background concentration were 1.60 and 1.38 times of that calculated with zero as the natural background concentration in the rainy season and dry season, respectively. Due to the seasonal difference in the proportion of pollutants entering the river and the reference condition of total phosphorus, the agricultural grey water footprint showed obvious seasonal differences. The agricultural grey water footprint in rainy season was 11.73 times higher than that in dry season. In the composition of agricultural grey water footprint in Zhangjiakou from 2003 to 2018, the grey water footprint of livestock and poultry accounted for a large proportion. Districts and counties with relatively large agricultural grey water footprint in Zhangjiakou were concentrated in the south and north of Zhangjiakou, mainly including Zhuolu, Huailai, Yuxian, Xuanhua and Zhangbei; The districts and counties with relatively small agricultural grey water footprint were mainly located in the urban area of Zhangjiakou, including Qiaodong District, Qiaoxi District and Xiahuayuan District. This paper could clarify the seasonal difference of agricultural grey water footprint accounting in monsoon region and promote the development of grey water footprint accounting methods.

Impact of Climate-Driven Land-Use Change on O3 and PM Pollution by Driving BVOC Emissions in China in 2050

This study predicted three future land-use type scenarios in 2050 (including the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway SSP126, SSP585, and carbon scenario) based on the Land-Use Harmonization (LUH2) project and the future evolution of land-use types considering China’s carbon neutrality background. The contribution of land-use changes to terrestrial natural source biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), as well as O3 and PM concentrations, were determined. Under the SSP126 pathway, meteorological changes would increase BVOC emissions in China by 1.0 TgC in 2050, compared with 2015, while land-use changes would increase them by 1.5–7.1 TgC. The impact of land-use changes on O3 and PM concentrations would be less than 3.6% in 2050 and greater in summer. Regional differences must be considered when calculating future environmental background concentrations of pollutants. Due to more afforestation measures under the SSP126 scenario, the impact of land-use change on pollutants was more obvious under the SSP126 pathway than under the SSP585 pathway. Under the carbon scenario, the increase in PM concentration caused by land-use changes would pose a risk to air quality compliance; thus, it is necessary to consider reducing or offsetting this potential risk through anthropogenic emission control measures.

Estimation of background concentration of ambient pollutants for Delhi NCT region

The increased levels of ambient air pollution in Delhi are hazardous to human health and a matter of concern for policymakers. To develop effective regulatory policies, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the regional background concentrations of pollutants. In the present study, we proposed a method to estimate regional background concentration for the Delhi NCT region. The study uses an integrated approach that employs meteorological filtering and statistical techniques. The meteorological filtering factored in the phenomena of stagnation caused by low wind speed and temperature inversion. Whereas spectral analysis and the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter were used in combination to reduce the influence of synoptic fluctuation in the time series. Our estimated annual average background concentration for PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2 and CO are 56 μg/m3, 42 μg/m3, 18 μg/m3, 7 μg/m3 and 558 μg/m3 respectively. The estimated background concentrations were validated using the ambient pollutant concentration recorded during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown period.

Metabolome adaptation and oxidative stress response of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to altered water pollution levels

Treated wastewater ponds (TWPs) serve as recipients and passive tertiary treatment mediators for recycled water. These nutrient-rich habitats are increasingly utilised in aquaculture, nevertheless multiple loads of various contaminants with adverse effects on aquatic fauna, including fish, have been recorded. In the present study, we investigated the effects of fish transfer in response to altered levels of pollution on liver metabolic profiles and tissue-specific oxidative stress biomarkers during short- and long-term exposure. In a field experiment, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) originating in severely polluted TWP were restocked after one year to a reference pond with a background pollutant concentration typical of the regional river. In contrast, fish that originated in the reference pond were restocked to TWP. Fish were sampled 0, 7, 14, 60, and 180 days after restocking and fish liver, kidney, intestine, and gill tissues were subjected to biomarker analysis. Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and metabolic profiles were determined in fish liver using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Fish transferred from reference to polluted pond increased the antioxidant response and absorbed PhACs into metabolism within seven days. Fish liver metabolic profiles were shifted rapidly, but after 180 days to a lesser extent than profiles in fish already adapted in polluted water. Restocked fish from polluted to reference pond eliminated PhACs during the short phase within 14 days, and the highest antioxidant response accompanied the depuration process. Numerous elevated metabolic compounds persisted in such exposed fish for at least 60 days. The period of two weeks was suggested as sufficient for PhACs depuration, but more than two months after restocking is needed for fish to stabilise their metabolism. This study contributed to determining the safe handling with marketed fish commonly restocked to wastewaters and clarified that water pollution irreversibly altered fish metabolic profile.

МЕТОДИКА ОЦЕНКИ ИНТЕГРАЛЬНОГО ЗАГРЯЗНЕНИЯ ПОЧВ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ПРИАЭРОДРОМНОЙ ТЕРРИТОРИИ)

The paper deals with the problem of an objective assessment of the geoecological situation of the aerodrome environs according to standard methods used for calculating the total indicator taking into consideration the excess of the maximum permissible or background concentrations of pollutants. We propose a method for calculating a complex indicator that can take into account heterogeneous characteristics of soil pollution: the multiplicity of excess of conditionally natural background concentrations, the frequency of exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants, their hazard class, the soil use category and ability of soils to regenerate. For this, we used transition from numerical values of soil pollution parameters to a vector space. The complex indicator of soil pollution involves totaling the lengths of vectors of established priority pollutants that have a high or extremely high impact on soil pollution according to a set of heterogenous parameters. The priority scale of pollutants is based on well-known scientifically grounded gradations of soil pollution parameters. With the help of standard and the proposed methods for calculating integral soil pollution, the geoecological situation was determined at a distance of up to 8,4 km from the reference point of the aerodrome during its regular operation and during reconstruction. The proposed combined indicator of soil pollution differs from the existing ones with greater accuracy and objectivity.

МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВЫ ОЦЕНКИ ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЯ ГОРНОПРОМЫШЛЕННЫХ КОМПЛЕКСОВ НА ОКРУЖАЮЩУЮ СРЕДУ

In the work, on the basis of our own field and laboratory studies of the components of the environment, the regularities of the natural and technogenic metal content of the territory of the Middle Urals were established; the mining complex was assessed as a source of pollutant flows into the environment; the formation of flows of pollutants in the environment under the influence of technogenic and mineral formations has been investigated; it is proposed to divide all pollutants, according to their source of entry into the environment, into atmospheric and hydrogenic flows of mining complexes. The problem is that the methodologies for setting maximum permissible emissions (MPE) and normative permissible discharge (NPD) are practically the same. They cover the assessment of the background concentrations of pollutants in the studied media, the assessment of pollution sources, the establishment on the basis of the dilution (mixing) processes of the predicted concentrations (at the border of the sanitary protection zone or in the control section) and the development of the permissible level of the impact of source into the element of the environment in g / h or in t / year with guaranteed quality assurance). Unfortunately, the methodologies used in standardizing the impact of mining and metallurgical complexes on the environment do not take into account a number of aspects, mainly geochemical, which often leads to the formalization of this process with subsequent negative environmental consequences. The objects of research considered in this work were the mining and metallurgical complexes of the Urals, located on its eastern slope in the basin of the river. Tours and including iron ore (the cities of Kachkanar, N. Tagil), copper ore (the cities of Krasnouralsk, Kirovgrad, Pervouralsk) complexes and environmental components (atmosphere, geo-hydro- and biosphere)) within them. The subject of research is the most characteristic ore and associated metals of the Ural deposits: Fe, Cr, Mn, V, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Pb, As, Hg, Cd. The aim of the work was to study the flows of pollutants in natural and man-made geosystems of the Middle Urals and to develop a methodological basis for assessing the impact of mining complexes on the environment.

2-D simulation of atmospheric boundary layer in and around Delhi to determine air pollution scenarios during winter morning.

In this paper, a 2-D turbulent closure model, based on the pollutant mass conservation equation, is adopted to estimate the local and background pollutants in the predominant wind direction for the stable atmosphere during winter mornings. The background concentration of pollutants can severely affect the regional pollution level, and its monitoring is a challenging task. Here, the turbulent closure model is employed across three cities in India, viz., Patiala, Delhi, and Agra, to estimate SO2 and NOx concentration along the predominant wind direction to demonstrate the potential of numerical models. The direction of the prevailing wind in this area during January 2003 was NNW (330°). Patiala is followed by Delhi and then Agra in the predominant wind direction. The sensitivity analysis of surface temperature on pollutant concentration reveals that concentration would increase by its square as temperature dips. So, during low or no horizontal wind, pollution episodes will be inevitable. Thus, the pollution hotspots are also identified in these three cities. Delhi had a high pollution load. So, the impact of local pollution in Delhi, through dispersion, was found significant in Agra. NOx hot spots (exceed the 30 μg/m3 limit) are found all across Delhi, except IGI Airport and two other locations. However, no SO2 hotspot (exceed the 60 μg/m3 limit) is found in Delhi. The proposed model output is verified with the WRF-CFD model results. Compared to the WRF-CFD model, the proposed model has overestimated NOx and SO2 concentration maximum by 14.4% and 23.5%, respectively. The overestimation occurred primarily due to ignoring atmospheric chemical reactions (e.g., acid condensation, etc.) for which the atmospheric factors were not so conducive.

The impact of air pollution during the liquidation and recultivation of mine workings on health problems risk of the population in an industrial city

Introduction. The Kemerovo region is the largest coal-producing region in Russia, and coal mining hurts the environment. The earth's developed mineral deposits are sources of pollution of atmospheric air, water, and soil. They increase the risk to public health. The implementation of measures for the reclamation of disturbed land is an urgent problem. The study aims to assess the health of an industrial city from air pollution during the liquidation of mining operations, and reclamation works carried out at a coal mine. Materials and methods. The scientists assessed the distribution and impact of atmospheric emissions at 40 plotted points based on a map of the city of Kisilevsk in the Kemerovo region. We calculated the maximum and average annual concentrations of pollutants and identified the risk of chronic intoxication and carcinogenic risk. Scientists obtained risk values with acceptable levels. The risk values were determined, taking into account the background concentrations of substances. Results. The researchers revealed priority pollutants: inorganic dust, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon (soot), carbon monoxide. There is no excess of the maximum average annual concentrations during the liquidation and reclamation at the coal mine for all pollutants. The combined values of the risk of chronic intoxication and carcinogenic risk do not exceed the acceptable level. The total values of the risk of chronic intoxication, taking into account the background concentrations of pollutants, exceed the proper level at all points of exposure. Conclusions. Activities for the elimination and reclamation of mine workings do not significantly impact the environment and the health of the population of the city of Kiselevsk.

An application of probability density function for the analysis of PM2.5 concentration during the COVID-19 lockdown period

The first Covid-19 patient in India was reported on January 30, 2020 at the state of Kerala. The patient number rose to three by February 3, 2020. In the month of March 2020, the transmissions started to increase when the people started to return back to India from the Covid-19 affected countries. On March 12, a 76-year-old man having a travel history to Saudi Arabia was the first reported fatality in India due to Covid 19. Then for the prevention of the propagation of Covid, the Indian government declared a state of health emergency and strict counter measures were taken, including locking down of cities, prohibiting almost all avoidable activities and restricting population's mobility. From March 24, 2020 due to the complete lockdown in the country, human activities were heavily restricted in the whole geographical regions of India. This pandemic lockdown eventually serves as an opportunity to observe the background concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere. The PM 2.5 distribution can affect human health and to overcome this problem, setting up of regulation for PM is necessary. In the present study Probability density functions (PDF) method have been utilised for the investigation of PM 2.5 pollutant data distribution of five countries namely, India, China, France, Brazil and United States of America (USA) for their respective lockdown period of 2020 and corresponding same period of 2019. A detailed study has been done for India, and for that purpose India has been divided into three regions (Central India, Coastal India and Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP)) on the basis of different meteorological conditions. PM 2.5 concentration for hourly basis has been analysed for the lockdown period 24th March to 15th June 2020 and compared with the PM 2.5 concentration of previous year 2019 for the same time period. To understand the effect of lockdown in PM 2.5 emission in India, which will give us an idea about the background concentration, PDFs (probability density functions) have also been generated for the whole year from 2015 to 2019. The “goodness-of-fit” of the probability density functions, to the data, was assessed, using various statistical indices (Chi-square test). Results show that the PM 2.5 reduction during the lockdown period of 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019 is sufficiently large. This study will give a certain degree of idea to the regulatory bodies on planning and implementation of strict air quality control plans.

Exposures to multiple air pollutants while commuting: Evidence from Zhengzhou, China

Daily commutes can contribute disproportionately to overall daily exposure to urban air pollutant concentrations. It is important to understand factors that contribute to the variability of exposures during commutes to develop strategies to mitigate exposure. We used low-cost Fairsense PMS1003 sensors to monitor exposure to multiple air pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, O3 and NO2, across four dominant transport modes: bike, taxi, subway and bus, on prescribed commuting routes covering a wide range of environments representative of downtown Zhengzhou during the morning and evening rush hours. Zhengzhou is a city in China that faces severe air quality challenges.We compared exposures in the different modes and evaluated factors that contributed to variability in exposure to the different pollutants during commute trips. There were statistically significant differences in exposures across commuting modes for most pollutants. Commuting in air-conditioned taxis had the lowest exposure to PM, but highest exposures to some primary gaseous pollutants (SO2 and CO).In a multivariate analysis, the travel mode generally explained the greatest variability in pollutant exposure, in comparison to route, time of day (morning/evening), and background pollutant concentrations. When breathing rate was taken into account to compute pollutant doses, cycling emerged as the commuting mode with the highest inhaled dose.

Chlorinated and brominated persistent compounds in hard coral, soft coral, and parrotfish from remote Mascarene islands

Persistent halogenated compounds (PHC) are of concern for human and environmental health. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are regulated by international treaties, but alternative compounds such as novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and Dechlorane Plus (DP) are not—yet they are increasingly used. There are no data on PHCs in coral reef biota from tropical islands in the western Indian Ocean (WIO). For this assessment, three hard coral genera, two soft coral genera, and ember parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) were collected from the remote Rodrigues, Agalega, and St. Brandon’s Atoll (Republic of Mauritius) in the Mascarene Basin of the WIO. Five compounds — Pentabromotoluene (PBT), γ-HCH, p,p’-DDE, HCB, and BDE-47— were quantifiable in all samples. Hard coral consistently contained the lowest concentrations of PHCs, except for NBFRs. The presence of BDE-47 suggests long-range aerial transport. We quantified DP, currently a candidate POP, in coral reef biota. PBT was measured in all samples also suggests long-range transport. Because the hard coral, soft coral, and fish had differing concentrations and patterns of PHCs, future surveys should stratify sampling accordingly. Agalega and St. Brandon’s Atoll can be considered as locations to monitor changes in background concentrations of pollutants due to their remoteness.