Assessment of the impact of air pollution by heat power plant emissions on the health of the population of Novokuznetsk

Introduction. Th e study of the infl uence of air pollution on the health of the population of industrial cities is an urgent task of preventive medicine.

The purpose of the study — assessment of risk for population health of the city of Novokuznetsk, associated with the receipt in atmospheric air of polluting substances from SC «Kuznetsk TPP».

Materials and methods. The paper presents the results of risk assessment for the health of the population of Novokuznetsk from the impact of atmospheric emissions of coal thermal power plant. Risks were calculated in accordance with the «Guidelines for the assessment of public health risks from exposure to chemicals that pollute the environment».

Results. It was found that sulfur dioxide, coal ash, nitrogen dioxide had the largest share in the index of non-carcinogenic hazard of emissions. Th e maximum hazard index of carcinogenic substances was detected in hexavalent chromium. Th e greatest risk of immediate action, manifested in the development of refl ex reactions, was detected at two points of exposure to concentrations; it was determined by the infl uence of coal ash. In the formation of the risk of chronic intoxication, coal ash, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide had the greatest impact; the greatest risk was detected at three points. Th e hazard coeffi  cients of the concentrations ranged from 2.04×10–4 to 6.723. The maximum index of danger equal to 29.31, corresponded to the residential district of Lenin square. Th e highest levels of carcinogenic risk identifi ed at three points were determined by exposure to hexavalent chromium.

Conclusion. Th e work identifi ed environmentally disadvantaged neighborhoods of the city. It is shown that the main contribution to the formation of non-carcinogenic risk of health disorders of the city’s population is made by nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, coal ash, sulfur dioxide. Th e main carcinogen is hexavalent chromium. Th e total values of risks expressed in the multiplicities of excess of acceptable risk, for most points exceed 1, indicating a signifi cant impact of emissions on the health of the population. A set of atmospheric protection measures aimed at reducing risks to public health is recommended. 

1. Rakhmanin Yu.A. Actualization of methodological problems of reglamentation of chemical pollutions on the environment. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95 (8): 701–7 (in Russian).

2. Rakhmanin Yu.A., Novikov S.M., Avaliani S.L., Sinitsyna O.O., Shashina T.A. Actual problems of environmental factors risk assessment on human health and ways to improve it. Analiz riska zdorov’yu. 2015; (2): 4–11 (in Russian).

3. Avaliani S.L., Bezpal’ko L.E., Bobkova I.E., Mishina A.L. Th e perspective directions of development of methodology of the analysis of risk in Russia. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2013; 92 (1): 33–5 (in Russian).

4. Avaliani S.L., Novikov S.M., Shashina T.A., Dodina N.S., Kislitsin V.A., Mishina A.L. Th e urgent problems of the improvement of the environment management system based on the analysis of health risk assessment. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2014; 93 (6): 5–8 (in Russian).

5. Novikov S.M., Fokin M.V., Unguryanu T.N. Actual problem of methodology and development of evidence-based health risk assessment associated with chemical exposure. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95 (8): 711–6 (in Russian).

6. Baldauf R.W., Lane D.D., Marotz G.A., Barkman H.W., Pierce T. Application of a risk assessment-based approach to designing ambient air quality monitoring networks for evaluating non-cancer health impacts. Environ. Monit. Assess. 2002; 78 (3): 213–27.

7. Keller D.A., Juberg D.R., Catlin N., Farland W.H., Hess F.G., Wolf D.C. et al. Identifi cation and Characterization of Adverse Effects in 21st Century Toxicology. Toxicol. Sci. 2012; 126 (2): 291–7.

8. Suchkov V.V., Semaeva E.A. Air pollution risk to health of the population of the cities Samara and Novokuibyshevsk. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2017; 96 (8): 729–33 (in Russian).

9. Ryabov V.A., Mamasyov P.S., Egorova N.T. Anthropogenic load on the environment as a factor forming the quality of life of the population of the industrial Kuzbass. Ekologiya urbanizirovannykh territoriy. 2018; (2): 84–90 (in Russian).

10. Shcherbo A.P., Kiselev A.V., Negrienko K.V., Mironenko O.V., Filatov V.N. Environment and health: approaches to risk assessment. St. Petersburg: SPbMAPO; 2002 (in Russian).

11. Shcherbo A.P., Kiselev A.V. Assessment of the risk fr om the eff ects of environmental factors on health. St. Petersburg: SPbMAPO; 2005 (in Russian).

12. Zaytseva N.V., Ustinova O.Y., Sboev A.S. Medical and preventive technologies for risk management of health problems associated with exposure to environmental factors. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95 (1): 17–22 (in Russian).

13. Ivanenko A.V., Sudakova E.V., Skvortsov S.A., Bestuzheva E.V. Assessment of risks to the health of the population from air borne contaminants in certain areas of Moscow. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2017; 96 (3): 206–11 (in Russian).

14. Gasilin V.V., Bocharov E.P., Vakhitov K.Kh., Popov G.O., Ayzatullin A.A. Sanitary and hygienic assessment of the ambient air and assessment of the carcinogenic risks to public health in a major industrial city. Zdorov’e naseleniya i sreda obitaniya. 2013; (4): 42–4 (in Russian).

15. May I.V., Kleyn S.V., Vekovshinina S.A., Balashov S.Yu. Th e use of the methodology of risk assessment in the elaboration of the general layout of an urban sett lement. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95 (1): 22–8 (in Russian).

16. Katulskiy Yu.N. About unifi cation of indices of the possibility of disease occurrence in risk assessment methodology and the determination of the probability of non-carcinogenic eff ects in toxicological-hygienic, clinical and epidemiological studies and according to data about health-seeking behavior. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95 (10): 998–1002 (in Russian).

17. Suchkov V.V., Semaeva E.A. Relationship between maximum permissible concentrations and level of health risk for air pollutants. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2017; 96 (5): 442–5 (in Russian).

18. Ganyukov S.P., Aliyaekbekova E.M. Substantiation of a new approach Ecological Risks to the assessment of health risks caused by the infl uence of industrial and Economic Damages emissions and products of their transformation. Ekologiya urbanizirovannykh territoriy. 2012; (4): 62–9 (in Russian).

19. Novikov S.M., Shashina T.A., Dodina N.S., Kislitsyn V.A., Vorobiova L.M., Goryaev D.V. et al. Comparative assessment of the multimedia cancer health risks caused by contamination of the Krasnoyarsk Krai regions’ environment. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2015; 94 (2): 88–92 (in Russian).

20. Popova A.Yu., Gurvich V.B., Kuzmin S.V., Mishina A.L., Yarushin S.V. Modern issues of the health risk assessment and management. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2017; 96 (12): 1125–9 (in Russian).

21. Artyukhov I.P., Sul’din S.A., Protasova N.P. Methodical approaches to the assessment of risk factors for public health. Sibirskoe meditsinskoe obozrenie. 2012; 6 (78): 80–5 (in Russian).