Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (Jan 2018)
Coal producer effect on snow cover pollution at adjacent urban territories (case study of Mezhdurechensk)
Abstract
The relevance of the research is caused by the need to study the specific character of coal producer dust input effect on pollution of adjacent urban territories. The main aim of the research is to evaluate the dust load level using the computational and experimental techniques in the area of coal producer effect by snow cover survey data. Objects of the research are snow samples taken by the square scheme in the town area and by the vector scheme in directions from the town to coal enterprises. Methods: atmogeochemical, calculation using the model of long-term particle fallout from atmosphere to the surface. Results. Regions with maximum values of dust load are in the area of open cut (459 mg/m2·day) and mine (422 mg/m2·day), by the gradation these values correspond to high level of pollution. High values of dust load (200-245 mg/m2·day) within the limits of the town correspond to location of coal boiler houses with open storage. On the outskirts of central and eastern parts of the town the dust load is additionally formed due to the dust wind transfer from closely located coal plants. The studied areas form the range by the decrease of mean value of dust load level: the south-west direction from town to open-cut coal mine (260±45 mg/m2·day) > the north-east direction from town to coal mine (153±71 mg/m2·day) > the eastern part of the town (131±12 mg/m2·day) > the western part of the town (128±17 mg/m2·day) > the south-west direction from town to tourist camp (30±1 mg/m2·day). Excess ratio of ambient dust load amounts to 24,8; 14,6; 12,5; 12,2; 2,9, respectively, at the studied areas. A part of industrial particles, including coal dust, soot, slags, aluminosilicate micro-spherule, fibers, is maximum in the territory, adjacent to the open-cut coal mine (85 %) and coal mine (88 %), and it is lower within the limits of the town (76-79 %). Content of coal particles, prevailing in all studied samples, changes from 20-23 % in the town to 44-82 % near the coal mine and open-cut coal mine; coal dust input in this case is considerably lower at underground mining than at open-cut coal mine. In the town a part of the particles, distinguishing coal burning (carbon coal), amounts to 33-36 %. The authors have compared the calculated coal dust values with those determined by the experiment. The well-significant correlation ratios for western and eastern parts of the town, the area of open-cut coal mine and tourist camp amounted to 0,66 (11 samples); 0,83 (21 samples); 0,73 (9 samples); 0,76 (6 samples) respectively. The model of the long-term fallout reflects rather well the change in quantitative precipitation indices in the studied territories. The results of modeling may be further used to assess chronic inhalation risks for population health, based on average annual concentrations.
