Risk assessment of the impact of atmospheric emissions from a preparation plant on population health

Introduction. Determining the relationship between the impact of environmental factors and the health status of the population based on the risk assessment methodology is an urgent problem of preventive hygiene. The city of Novokuznetsk in the Kemerovo region, which is a major center of the metallurgical and coal industry, is characterized by a particularly difficult environmental situation. The aim of the study is to assess the risk to population health from air pollution from the emissions of a coal-processing plant. Materials and methods. The work used the volume of maximum permissible emissions of the central processing plant “Abashevskaya”. Calculations of maximum and average annual concentrations of pollutants were performed using the “EcoCenter-Standard” program, based on “Methods for calculating the dispersion of emissions of harmful (polluting) substances in the air”. Population health risks were calculated in accordance with the “Guidelines for assessing public health risks from exposure to chemicals that pollute the environment”. The resulting risk values were compared with acceptable values. Also, the values of risk levels were determined considering background concentrations. Results. Priority pollutants were identified: nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon (soot), inorganic dust with a SiO2 content of less than 20%, inorganic dust with a SiO2 content of 20–70%, benzene, manganese and its compounds. The maximum and average concentrations of pollutants were determined and the MPC exceeded at the selected calculation points. It was found that the risk levels of immediate action are zero. The risk levels of chronic intoxication range from 3×10–8 (manganese and its compounds) to 0.003 (inorganic dust with a SiO2 content of less than 20%). The highest total level of risks of chronic intoxication (0.006) is observed in the Baidaevka district. This is due to the location of pollution sources. The highest hazard indexes are also observed in the neighborhood Baidaevka. The hazard coefficients for all substances do not exceed “1”, which indicates that the population is not significantly likely to develop harmful effects with daily intake of the substance during life, and such an impact is acceptable. According to the data obtained, soot and benzene as carcinogenic substances do not pose a danger. The total values of the risks of immediate action, chronic intoxication and carcinogenic risk do not exceed the acceptable level. The total values of the risks of chronic intoxication, taking into account background concentrations, exceed the acceptable level by 2.9–4.1 times. Conclusion. Emissions from the coal-processing plant contribute to air pollution in the city, without significantly affecting the health of the population. The use of the risk assessment methodology is necessary to identify the most unfavorable areas of the city and pollutants that contribute most to the health of the population. The authors declare no conflict of interests.