Risks to health of the population of the nonindustrial city from quality of atmospheric air

Abstract

Risk assessment to public health living in the environmental problems is of great importance for humans today. However, the main attention is paid to major industrial centers, while for cities not having developed industries such studies are rare. The study of the intensity and structure of chemical air pollution was conducted to determine the risk levels for human health from effects of the chemical air pollution in residential areas of Aktau city (West Kazakhstan). Method of retrospective analysis of emissions into the atmosphere was used, and damage to health was determined in accordance with the risk assessment procedure. We take into account the major pollutants, the city being in the air basin - sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and total hydrocarbons. The main threat to children's health is caused by common hydrocarbons (88%), nitrogen oxides (5%), and ammonia (3%). The estimated cancer risk is defined at the level of 10-3 - 10-4, it corresponds to the limits and requires regular monitoring.

Keywords

• risk evaluation
• population morbidity
• air pollution