Analysis of Data on Monitoring the Level of Atmospheric Air Pollution in an Industrially Developed City and Aerotechnogenic Risk to Public Health

Abstract

The purpose of the study is a combined assessment of the level of atmospheric air pollution and aerotechnogenic health risk to the population of the industrially developed city of Voronezh. Materials and methods. The initial data are the results of systematic observations of the level of atmospheric air pollution at fi ve stationary posts of the Voronezh Centre for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (2018-2023). The analysis of the dynamics of pollutant concentrations was carried out using descriptive statistics: mean concentration, error of the mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum, asymmetry, kurtosis. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic aerotechnogenic risks to public health were assessed. Results. The most pronounced variation in the content in the atmospheric air is characteristic of carbon monoxide and suspended matter (variation coeffi cient V = 42.3 – 62.3%). The absence of a normal distribution of most concentration values is confi rmed by the analysis of the values of the criterion for the presence of artifacts, asymmetry and kurtosis, with the exception of nitrogen oxide. Aerotechnogenic non-carcinogenic health risks are above the permissible level for formaldehyde, suspended matter and nitrogen dioxide (HQ from 1,55 to 5,67). Carcinogenic risks do not exceed the permissible (acceptable) risk. Conclusions. The variation series of most concentrations of air pollutants do not correspond to the normal distribution law, which justifi es the expediency of using the median concentration value when assessing health risks. The highest non-carcinogenic risks are noted for respiratory diseases, and individual carcinogenic risks from exposure to formaldehyde and soot do not exceed the permissible (acceptable) risk.