Main Pollutants Research Articles

Research progress on remediation of organochlorine pesticide contamination in soil.

Deteriorated soil pollution has grown into a worldwide environmental concern over the years. Organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues, featured with ubiquity, persistence and refractoriness, are one of the main pollution sources, causing soil degradation, fertility decline and nutritional imbalance, and severely impacting soil ecology. Furthermore, residual OCPs in soil may enter the human body along with food chain accumulation and pose a serious health threat. To date, many remediation technologies including physicochemical and biological ways for organochlorine pollution have been developed at home and abroad, but none of them is a panacea suitable for all occasions. Rational selection and scientific decision-making are grounded in in-depth knowledge of various restoration techniques. However, soil pollution treatment often encounters the interference of multiple factors (climate, soil properties, cost, restoration efficiency, etc.) in complex environments, and there is still a lack of systematic summary and comparative analysis of different soil OCP removal methods. Thus, to better guide the remediation of contaminated soil, this review summarized the most commonly used strategies for OCP removal, evaluated their merits and limitations and discussed the application scenarios of different methods. It will facilitate the development of efficient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly soil remediation strategies for sustainable agricultural and ecological development.

Estimation of some heavy metals in the Dalmaj Marsh, AL-Diwaniya City, Iraq.

The current study has investigated Cd, Pb and Ni heavy metals of the Dalmaj Marsh, located in AL-Diwaniyah City, in Iraq. The results show that there has been a variation in heavy metals in the three studied sites. the mean values of concentrations in water were 1.96, 4.27, and 2.11µg/l for Cd, Pb and Ni respectively. Pollutants such as pesticides, sewage discharge, irrigation and electronic waste are the main pollutants in the pollution of freshwater bodies including marshes. These findings provide crucial background data for further research in order to obtain better management and protection for Iraqi freshwaters

The Relationship Of Lead (Pb) Levels With The Number Of Blood Platelets At SPBU Officers

Lead (Pb) is the main pollutant in the environment. Lead in fuel is an additive that is added to a gasoline mixture with the aim of increasing combustion so that vehicle performance increases. Lead is a type of heavy metal that can cause poisoning. Lead is easily absorbed in the body and can accumulate in human tissues. Lead can enter the human body through the respiratory system, orally, or through the skin surface. High lead levels in the blood can cause low platelets. This is because lead can interfere with the heme system in the blood, causing anemia. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between lead (Pb) levels and blood platelet counts at gas stations in Mekikis Village. The research design in this study used a cross sectional approach. The research sample consisted of 10 gas station attendants. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. Based on the examination, the average lead and platelet levels for gas station workers were 0.4344 ppm and 293,500 /UL respectively. Based on the results of the Spearman correlation test, a significant value of 0.391 was obtained where the sign value was > 0.05, which means that there is no relationship between lead levels and the number of platelets in the blood of Mekikis Village gas station attendants.

Study on the Spatiotemporal Variation in and Driving Mechanism of Water Quality in Baiyangdian Lake

Analyzing 165 data from five national control sites in Baiyangdian Lake, this study unveils its spatiotemporal pattern of water quality. Utilizing machine learning and multivariate statistical techniques, this study elucidates the effects of rainfall and human activities on the lake’s water quality. The results show that the main pollutants in Baiyangdian Lake are TN, TP, and IMN. Spatially, human activities are the main drivers of water quality, with the poorest quality observed in the surrounding village area. The temporal dynamics of water quality parameters exhibit three distinct patterns: Firstly, parameters predominantly influenced by point source pollution, like TN and NH4+-N, show lower concentrations during flood periods. Secondly, parameters affected by non-point source pollution, such as TP, show higher concentrations during flood periods. Thirdly, irregular variations were observed in pH, DO, and IMN. The evaluation of Baiyangdian Lake’s water quality based on the grey relationship analysis method indicates that its water quality is good, falling within Classes I and II. Time series analysis found that the dilution effect of rainfall and the scouring action of runoff dominate the temporal variation in water quality in Baiyangdian Lake. The major pollution sources were identified as domestic sewage, followed by agricultural non-point source pollution and the release of internal pollutants. Additionally, aquaculture emerged as a significant contributor to the Lake’s pollution. This research provides a scientific basis for controlling the continuous deterioration of Baiyangdian Lake’s water quality and restoring its ecological function.

Comparative study of the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 of PM 10 particle sampling of the frontera, Comalcalco and paraíso municipalities

Air pollution is currently one of the greatest health risks. Among the effects that have been associated with atmospheric pollution are increases in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which are generated by fixed and mobile sources. One of the main pollutants in the atmosphere is particulate matter, which is a complex mixture of substances in a liquid or solid state that remains in suspension for a certain period of time. Due to this, the following work was carried out to evaluate the periods of highest concentrations of PM10 particles of the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 and compare them with meteorological data; temperature, and humidity of the municipalities of Centla, Comalcalco, and Paraíso. To achieve the development of this research, the data from each of the meteorological settled stations were downloaded, in order to give each one a previous treatment of the data in Excel by averaging the sampled days. For the treatment of the data, an Excel database was created to later manage them in the Minitad software to obtain the scatter plots where the concentrations of each of the municipalities were compared. In conclusion, we can say that the only municipality that exceeded the Metropolitan Air Quality Index (IMECA) was the municipality of Comalcalco where 11 dates were presented that exceeded the LMP, with values ranging from 76 µg /m3 to 110 µg /m3 . In graphs 4, 5, and 6, we can say that despite having ascending regression lines and positive correlations ranging from r= 0.1 to 0.4, we could not interpret that there is a correlation between both variables. As graphs 7, 8, and 9 show, we could also observe ascending and descending regression lines with mostly negative correlations ranging from r= -0.1 to -0.4, so we could say that their correlation is inverse, that the higher the increase in relative humidity, the lower the concentration of particulate matter.

Spatial and variety distributions, risk assessment, and prediction model for heavy metals in rice grains in China.

In this study, 6229 brown rice grains from three major rice-producing regions were collected to investigate the spatial and variety distributions of heavy metals in rice grains in China. The potential sources of heavy metals in rice grains were identified using the Pearson correlation matrix and principal component analysis, and the health risks of dietary exposure to heavy metals via rice consumption were assessed using the hazard index (HI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) method, respectively. Moreover, 48 paired soil and rice samples from 11 cities were collected to construct a predicting model for Cd accumulation in rice grains using the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis. The results indicated that Cd and Ni were the main heavy metal pollutants in rice grains in China, with approximately 10% of samples exceeding their corresponding maximum allowable limits. The Yangtze River basin had heavier pollution of heavy metals than the Southeast Coastal Region and Northeast Plain, and the indica rice varieties had higher heavy metal accumulation abilities compared with the japonica rice. The Cu, Pb, and Cd mainly originated from anthropogenic sources, while As, Hg, Cr, and Ni originated from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The mean HI and TCR values of dietary exposure to heavy metals via rice consumption ranged from 2.92 to 4.31 and 9.74 × 10-3 to 1.44 × 10-2, respectively, much higher than the acceptable range, and As and Ni were the main contributor to the HI and TCR for Chinese adults and children, respectively. The available Si (ASi), total Cd (TCd), available Mo (AMo), and available S (AS) were the main soil factors determining grain Cd accumulation. A multiple linear stepwise regression model was constructed based on ASi, TCd, AMo, and AS in soils with good accuracy and precision, which could be applied to predict Cd accumulation in rice grains and guide safe rice production in contaminated paddy fields.

Removal and determination of carbon monoxide based on copper oxide immobilized on Zeolite 13X Nanocatalyst by catalytic oxidation process and gas flow analyzer

Carbon monoxide is one of the main air pollutants, mainly produced from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. This study aims to oxidize carbon monoxide by copper oxide nanoparticles immobilized on zeolite13X substrate. The present investigation was conducted to determine the effect of carbon monoxide concentration parameters (in the range of 200-1400 ppm) and reaction temperature (in the range of 100-500 °C) on the efficiency of carbon monoxide conversion by CuO/Zeolite 13X nanocatalyst. The design of the experiment and the determination of the number of experiments were analyzed using the central composite design method, and the statistical test of analysis of variance was done using the response surface method. Also, the structural and morphological characteristics of the nanocatalyst were investigated using BET, BJH, FE-SEM, EDX, and XRF tests. The results show that CuO/Zeolite 13X nanocatalyst efficiently oxidizes carbon monoxide. The highest conversion efficiency of 82.6% was obtained at a temperature of 400 °C and a carbon monoxide concentration of 500 ppm as the optimal conditions. According to the EDX test results, copper oxide nanoparticles with a weight percentage of 5.9% were loaded on the Zeolite 13X substrate. Design Expert11 software reduced the cubic model with an R2 coefficient of 0.98.

Maximum permissible technological parameters of frame-filling filters

Relevance. Wastewater of knitting industry contains various types of dyes, synthetic surfactants, mineral salts and suspended solids in values requiring deep cleaning. It is advisable to carry out deep cleaning of these drains on non-pressure filters, which do not require large expenses and are easy to operate. We gave preference to frame-filling filters. First of all, it allows significant increase in filtration rate, and its two layers with different fractions of filter materials significantly contributes to differentiated purification of wastewater from suspended solids of various sizes. Aim. To determine the maximum permissible values of technological parameters of the frame-filling filters operation (filtration rate and duration of the filter cycle) at which high filtration effect is provided through a highly porous material-crushed expanded clay. Objects. Wastewaters of the knitting industry and the effluents of the cotton and textile industries that are similar in their composition of pollution, as well as the identical effluents of some other branches of light industry. Methods. The experimental method was used on a laboratory frame-filling filter installation. The expanded clay used was obtained by the method of swelling low-melting clays and clay rocks during their rapid firing, followed by crushing to the state of sand. In general, the proposed technological methods are justified by those comparative and generalizing methods that can improve frame-filling filter operation. Results and conclusions. Based on the results of the conducted research, the following conclusions can be drawn: Pronounced intergranular porosity (on average 1.6 times greater than that of quartz sand) allows expanded clay granules passing through a significant amount of waste water at relatively high filtration speeds (20–22 m h) and retain up to 70% of suspended solids The duration of the filter cycle when using crushed expanded clay is at least 1.5 times longer than when using quartz sand Due to the greater difference in the average coefficients of the shape of the filtering materials, more complete regeneration of filtering properties of crushed expanded clay compared to quartz sand is provided 2–3 minutes earlier, regardless of the initial concentration of suspended substances. The filtering properties of crushed expanded clay during deep wastewater treatment of the knitted production with the main concentrated pollution indicators (color intensity, BODfull, COD and surfactants) practically do not concede the quartz sand properties. Besides, crushed expanded clay is much cheaper than quartz sand; it can be used on an equal footing with quartz sand for deep cleaning of low-turbidity and slightly colored industrial wastewater.

STUDY OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES EMISSIONS INTO THE AIR ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE AND THE CITY OF KAMIANSKE

The article is dedicated to analyzing the structure of Ukraine's industry and its stages of development, as well as the issues of emissions of major harmful substances into the atmospheric air in the cities of Ukraine, particularly in the city of Kamianske. The main branches of Ukraine's industry include: machine building and metalworking, food, light, fuel and energy, chemical and petrochemical, forestry, pulp and paper, and building materials. Positive trends in industrial production development have been observed since 2000. However, the activities of enterprises and organizations in various branches of industry are a significant factor in the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. The main pollutants include: suspended particles, sulfur dioxide, carbon oxide, nitrogen oxide and dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, phenol, soot, fluorine and chlorine hydrogen, ammonia, formaldehyde. Among the most polluted cities in Ukraine are Mariupol, Kamianske, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa. In the city of Kamianske, the biggest polluters of the atmospheric air are enterprises in the ferrous metallurgy, coke-chemical, and machine-building industries.

Multi-media distribution and risk assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Huai River Basin, China

The widespread existence, environmental persistence, and risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have attracted widespread attention. Herein, the distribution and risk assessment of PFASs were investigated from the Huai River Basin. The ranges in different media were 29.83–217.96 (average of 75.82 ± 35.64 ng/L) in water, 0.17–9.55 ng/g (2.56 ± 2.83 ng/g) in sediments, and 0.21–9.76 ng/g (3.43 ± 3.07 ng/g) in biota. Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) was the most prevalent PFAS in surface water, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), accounted for 42.62 %, 22.23 % and 17.72 % of the total concentrations of the PFASs analyzed, respectively. PFBA was dominant in sediments, accounting for 60.37 % of the total concentrations of the PFASs analyzed. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the main pollutant in biota, and the highest concentration (5.09 ng/g) was found in Channa argus. Considering the measured concentrations in water, sediments and biota, the sediment-water partition coefficients (log Kd) and bioaccumulation factors (BAF) of PFASs were determined. The log Kd of the PFASs differed among those with a different carbon chain length, C7-C11 PFASs were more likely to be adsorbed onto sediments as the carbon chain length increases, and PFUnDA and PFDA showed the higher BAF value in Channa argus. PFASs in the Huai River Basin posed an acceptable ecological risk, and long-chain PFAS contamination provided green algae with a higher potential ecological risk. Compared to drinking water, aquatic products constituted a higher PFASs threat to human health, especially for children. The highest HQ was found in PFOS, with an HQmax of 0.97–4.32. Residents in the Huai River Basin should reduce their intake of Channa argus, Coilia nasus, and Carassius auratus, children aged 2 to 4 are limited to consuming no more than 6.9 g/d, 9.7 g/d, and 16.6 g/d, respectively.

Effects of Fireworks Burning on Air Quality during the Chinese Spring Festival-Evidence from Zhengzhou, China.

Fireworks burning significantly degrades air quality over a short duration. The prohibition of fireworks burning (POFB) policy of 2016 and the restricted-hours fireworks burning (RHFB) policy of 2023 in Zhengzhou City provide an ideal opportunity to investigate the effects of such policies and of fireworks burning on air quality during the Spring Festival period. Based on air quality ground-based monitoring data and meteorological data for Zhengzhou City, the article analyzes the impact of the POFB policy and the RHFB policy on air quality. The results show that: (1) The ban on fireworks burning significantly affects Spring Festival air quality, with a decrease of 16.0% in the Air Quality Index (AQI) value in 2016 compared to 2015 and a 74.9% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. (2) From 2016 to 2022, the Spring Festival period witnessed a substantial decrease in average concentration of main pollutants, along with a delayed occurrence of peak concentrations, indicating a noticeable "peak-shaving" effect. However, in 2023, there was an increase in pollutant concentrations, volatility, and a significant surge in hourly concentration. (3) The POFB policy and RHFB policy notably impacted PM2.5 and PM10, with a decrease of 16.1% and 23.6% in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, respectively, in 2016 compared to 2015, but an increase of 74.5% and 79.2%, respectively, in 2023 compared to 2022. (4) The contribution of fireworks burning to PM2.5 concentrations significantly decreased during the fireworks burning period (FBP) in 2016 after the POFB policy and increased significantly in 2023 during FBP after the implementation of the RHFB policy. Unfavorable meteorological conditions will undoubtedly exacerbate air quality pollution caused by fireworks burning.

Morbidity rates of the children population under conditions of aerogenic chemical exposure: risk factors and associations

Introduction. In the the industrialized regions of the Russian Federation one of the hygienic problems is the formation of additional morbidity among the population associated with intense air pollution.
 The purpose of the work is to study the health disorders in children under conditions of aerogenic chemical exposure in terms of primary morbidity.
 Materials and methods. Analysis of the primary morbidity of the children population (data from state statistical reporting and actual seeking medical care in 2017–2021); the content of the main chemical pollutants in the atmospheric air in residential buildings (data from social and hygienic monitoring and the regular observation network of Roshydromet for 2016–2020 according to the content of twenty two impurities); chronic non-carcinogenic risk; connection of diseases with aerogenic chemical exposure according to epidemiological indicators; economic assessment of predicted losses.
 Results. Comparing to the reference area, the level of primary morbidity in children with diseases of the respiratory system, digestion, kidneys, nervous system, osteoarticular apparatus, associated with aerogenic exposure to chemical pollutants, was established to be an increased by up to 3.4 times. In the atmospheric air of residential buildings, the content of a number of chemicals (metals, aromatic and fluorine-containing inorganic compounds) was found to be increased by 6.9 times and 4.0 times relative to the average daily and maximum one-time maximum permissible concentrations, respectively, and within the hygienic standards. The formed exposure causes an unacceptable risk of developing non-carcinogenic effects (HI up to 18.7 times) in relation to target organs. Additional morbidity in the children population (about 1.5 thousand cases per year) has been identified in the event of which the projected economic losses will amount to about 10 million rubles over year.
 Limitations. The study includes the children population under the age of 14 years.
 Conclusion. The primary morbidity of children in regions with developed industrial infrastructure is characterized by special random events associated with aerogenic exposure to risk factors. Projected additional losses require priority regulatory action.

Municipal solid waste air gasification using waste marble powder as a catalyst for syngas production

Waste marble powder (WMP), the main pollutant in the marble processing industry, is predominantly composed of calcite. Its rich calcium-based nature, derived from calcite, positions it as an excellent source for a CO2 sorbent, making it highly conducive to serving as a catalyst. Also, extraction of energy from MSW is the best option to discard solid waste along with protection from global warming and landfill burden. The present study aims to investigate MSW potential as feedstock with WMP as a CO2 sorbent for syngas in air gasification lab-scale fixed-bed gasifier. The system was initially tested on different equivalence ratios (ER) (0.25, 0.30, and 0.35) to search for an optimum value. The optimum value of ER for this study was found to be 0.30 with the composition of CO, CO2, CH4, and H2 were 10, 8.97, 1.67, and 6.65 vol%, respectively. The main study investigated the influence of different weight ratios of WMP to MSW (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2) on the gas composition, carbon conversion efficiency, and carbon gasification efficiency, and higher heating values. The results indicated that the presence of WMP promotes H2 and CO significantly, whereas CO2 content was reduced to 0.20 vol% when compared to runs without utilizing WMP (9 vol%). For this study, loading the WMP catalyst exhibits a remarkable effect on syngas composition with the optimum ratio of 0.1–0.15.

Analysis of suspended solids emissions from a combined sewage system using the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM)

The protection of water bodies requires the reduction of pollutant emissions from all major sources. In urbanized areas, these include: wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and (depending on the type of sewage system) combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and stormwater drainage outlets. WWTPs are usually monitored and emitted pollutant loads are known, but it is more difficult to assess the pollutant load discharged by CSOs and stormwater drainage systems. The article attempts to use the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) to assess emissions of suspended solids from a large urban combined catchment. Suspended solids are the main pollutant of stormwater runoff in urban areas, and the dynamics of their emission from catchments is very diverse. The amount of suspended solids discharged by CSOs functioning in the given city was assessed in comparison with emissions from a wastewater treatment plant. The results show that CSOs discharge a pollutant load to the receiver which is comparable to WWTPs, but in a much shorter time and in a violent manner which can lead to the severe deterioration of receiving water quality. The modelling took into account the quality of dry weather sewage, the build-up of suspended solids, wash-off processes in the catchment area, and local precipitation characteristics. Factors affecting the quality of the obtained model and the accuracy of the emission level assessment were analysed.

Non-exhaust gas and particle emissions of light-duty vehicles – Quantification under driving conditions in a sealed cabin

Non-exhaust emissions have emerged as a pivotal contributor to vehicle emissions, as regulatory efforts persist in curtailing exhaust emissions. This research focused on the running-loss evaporative volatile organic carbon (VOC) and non-exhaust particle (NEP) emission factors (EFs) of a light-duty vehicle in the sealed housing. VOC concentrations demonstrated an upward trend with elevated vehicle temperatures and extended driving durations. Normalized over driving distance, the hot-start WLTC test exhibited the highest VOC EFs, about 617 μg/km, and the highest ozone formation potential (OFP) value of 1.75 mgO3/km. Toluene and xylene were the main pollutants contributing to the OFP value across all tests. Evaluating EFs of various evaporative emission forms in mg/h, the BTEXs EF of running-loss tests was recorded at 10.2 mg/h, comparable to diurnal-breathing tests but significantly lower than hot-soak tests. Additionally, particles within the 10–23 nm range consistently dominated total NEP above 10 nm. Particle number (PN) concentrations of 10–23 nm particles exhibited a sharp increase under intense driving conditions and a slow decrease under other driving conditions. The results suggested a continuous consumption of smaller particles, leading to their coalescence into larger particles. The EF of NEP above 23 nm in the US06_4 test was 1.72 × 1012 #/km, surpassing the current exhaust particle emission limit. Consequently, NEP has been a major vehicle particle source of greater concern than exhaust particles.

Biogeochemical behavior, health risk assessment and source identification of antimony and arsenic in soil from a legacy antimony smelter in Gansu, Northwest China

The study of the contamination patterns and characteristics of Sb and As in the soils of the legacy contaminated sites of antimony smelters is important for the redevelopment and utilization of industrial sites. In this study, 13 heavy metals were determined in the soil and plants of an antimony smelter in Gansu Province to study the biogeochemical behavior, health risk, and pollution source. The results showed that the Nemerow index of Sb (728) exceeded the value of As (43.6) by 17.6 times, and the average geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of Sb and As were 10.1 and 1.97, respectively, categorized as extremely and moderately contaminated classes. Compared to As, Sb had a larger proportion of oxidizable fraction and a smaller proportion of reducible fraction (Fe/Mn oxides), suggesting that Sb possessed a higher content of organic matter and sulfide forms. Even though the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for As was about 10 times higher than that for Sb, the accumulation of Sb in plants was not negligible. For the USEPA model, the mean hazard quotient (HQ) values of As by oral ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation accounted for 99.0%, 0.97%, and 0.0002% of the total, and 54.2%, 45.3%, and 0.51% for MEEPRC model, respectively. There were significant positive correlations between Sb, As, Zn, Se, Cd, and Ba (P < 0.05). The results of the source identification analysis revealed that antimony smelting, solid waste pollution, and natural origin were identified as the main pollution sources. The principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) methods differed by more than 20% in the analysis of the contribution of antimony smelting activities and solid waste pollution sources, suggesting the differences in the models themselves and in the uncertainty parameters chosen during the application.

Performance seeking control method for minimum pollutant emission mode for turbofan engine

The research shows that the impact of aero-engine pollutant emission on the environment cannot be ignored. In addition to fuel type and combustor structure, aero-engine exhaust pollutants are also related to engine operating conditions and control systems. In this context, taking CO and NOx as the main exhaust pollutants of the engine as the research object, a performance optimization control method of the minimum pollutant emission mode of the engine is proposed. Firstly, the CO and NOx emission characteristics of the engine under different operating conditions at sea level are calculated by CFD numerical simulation method, and the engine component-level model applicable to all flight envelope and all conditions is established according to the characteristic data. Secondly, in order to improve computational efficiency, an airborne model with high accuracy and real-time performance is established through the deep neural network. Compared to the component-level model, the average relative error of each performance parameter is less than 0.5 %, and the real-time performance is improved by about 12 times. Finally, the optimization principle of the minimum pollutant emission mode is discussed. The feasible sequential quadratic programming (FSQP) algorithm is selected, and the fuel quantity and throat area of the tail nozzle are taken as control variables. Numerical simulations are performed in the typical mission envelope. Simulation results show that the CO emission index decreases by 5 % and the NOx emission index decreases by more than 6.5 % through performance optimization control of the minimum pollutant emission mode under the premise of ensuring constant engine thrust and meeting other constraints.

The tree layer structure of forest communities of the Kola Peninsula central part formed when aerotechnogenic emissions reduced

This research provides an overview of the main component of forest ecosystems in northern Europe, the tree layer formed by the Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L .) species. The studied communities are located in the immediate vicinity of the largest plant in Europe, OAO Severonickel (Monchegorsk, Murmansk region). The main pollutants are polymetallic dust containing elements such as Cu, Ni and Co (which are by-products of processing and smelting non-ferrous ores) and sulfur dioxide - SO2 (which is formed during the primary processing of ores, the so-called “roasting”). The first permanent trial plots (PPPs) in this region were established in the early 1970s. Since the second half of the 1990s, the plant has significantly reduced the amount of aerotechnogenic emissions, as evidenced by the data noted by some researchers at that time. The cumulative nature of the accumulation (and release) of polymetallic dust led to the fact that, starting from the time the ore processing plant reduced its capacity, the concentration of metals contained in the soil and plant organs decreased to a certain level. We present the materials obtained in the course of field research in 2015-2018.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAWS OF FORMATION AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WASTEWATER OF A DAIRY PROCESSING PLANT IN THE WESTERN REGION OF UKRAINE

The dairy industry has a wide range of processing end products, which can be conventionally divided into liquid, solid and dry products. The first group includes pasteurized milk, cream and fermented milk drinks (kefir, yoghurt, desserts), the second group includes butter and cheese, the third group includes dry milk (whole or skim), proteins of various composition and purity, casein and whey. The wastewater of a dairy factory is the result of various technological and production processes, which vary in time and, accordingly, their products are not discharged simultaneously, which determines the formation of effluents of different compositions and volumes. Industrial wastewater generated at dairy factories is divided into two types: polluted and partly polluted wastewater. Polluted wastewater is produced after cleaning equipment, industrial pipelines, automobile tanks, floors, industrial premise panels, etc. Partly polluted wastewater is produced as a result of the cooling processes of milk and equipment. Both types of wastewater form a common flow that is subject to cleaning, disinfection and discharge into drainage systems or surface water bodies (depending on the chemical composition).&#x0D; The study of the wastewater composition of a dairy processing plant was divided into two stages. At the first stage, the analysis of mixed phases formed during the production process in each section of the factory was carried out.&#x0D; The analysis was carried out for one day of production at a dairy factory that processed 496 tons of whole milk, of which 170 tons were used to make whole milk products and cottage cheese, and the rest were used to make butter and casein. At the same time, 1200 m3 of water was used for all production processes, and additional water consumption for auxiliary processes and services amounted to 643 m3, so the total discharge per day was 2000.47 m3.&#x0D; The next step was to directly analyse the wastewater indicators of the dairy processing plant. To offset the impact of the production process on the composition of dairy wastewater and the volume of manufactured products, we organized sampling every two hours for four days. As a result, 48 points of analysis were obtained, which allowed us to form an objective assessment of the factory’s discharge.&#x0D; As a result of the research, the regularities and sources of formation of wastewater were established, and the chemical composition of wastewater from a dairy processing plant in the Western region of Ukraine was experimentally determined. The results obtained allowed us to draw the following conclusions. The formation of the total runoff is caused by both technological and related processes, which include sudden emissions of highly polluted wastewater with a high concentration of major pollutants, the use of different volumes of water for technological processes, and different volumes and composition of wastewater during the day. Therefore, to correctly assess the composition of a dairy factory's discharge, a systematic and long-term study is required, rather than a spot analysis.&#x0D; The chemical composition of wastewater was experimentally studied according to the main indicators regulated by the legislation of Ukraine regarding the discharge of wastewater into the sewage system and municipal biological treatment facilities. The data obtained indicates that the chemical composition of the total wastewater from the dairy processing plant does not meet the requirements. The main pollutants are: organic components, which are expressed in exceeding the chemical oxygen demand on average by three times, and at the peak load - by 10 times; phosphates in terms of total phosphorus - by 8-22 times and chlorides - by 2-7 times.&#x0D; A comparative characterization of individual technological stages shows that the most polluted wastewater is generated in the process of acid casein production. These waters are characterized by high values of COD, chlorides and phosphates, and their contribution to the overall value of these indicators is determinant. The production of whole milk products is characterized by a slight excess of COD.&#x0D; As a result, in order to prevent the death of activated sludge in municipal biological treatment facilities, pretreatment of wastewater is necessary to bring the above indicators to the norms.&#x0D; Key words: dairy industry, dairy processing plant, wastewater, wastewater chemical composition, the Western region of Ukraine.

Analysis of the particulate matter long term emissions in Romania by sectors of activities

Particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere is highly relevant due to its far-reaching implications. These tiny solid or liquid particles affect human health, causing respiratory and cardiovascular issues, and even premature death. PM also plays a role in climate change, as some particles contribute to warming, while others have cooling effects, impacting Earth's energy balance. Additionally, PM influences visibility, transportation safety, and ecosystems by depositing on land and water surfaces, altering soil and water quality. Recognizing and monitoring the emissions and sources of PMs by 4 subclasses, from PM2.5 to PM10, but also as TSP (total suspended particles) and individually as BC – black carbon is vital for effective air quality management and mitigating its multifaceted impacts on our environment and well-being. This paper presents an analysis of PMs emissions divided into the 4 classes presented above, for Romania, between 1990-2021, as given by the national report made according to the National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NECD), which aims to reduce emissions of the main air pollutants. The emission data are presented by national emission sectors, from different industries to different transport types, and also from agricultural activities, and waste management. Relevant averages and trends are quantified and analysed as a reference for real-time data at city level, such that to assess the local pollution level and data accuracy as compared to the national reports.