Environmental and Hygienic Assessment of Ambient Air Pollution in Oil-Producing and Oil-Refining Areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan and Population Health Status

Abstract

Introduction. High density of oil-producing and refining facilities in certain areas of Bashkortostan significantly affects the environment including ambient air quality in residential areas. Materials and methods. We analyzed concentrations of airborne toxicants (sulfur and nitrogen oxides, nitrogen and carbon oxides, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, xylenes, toluene, phenol and total suspended particles) and population health status in the cities of Ufa, Sterlitamak, Salavat, Blagoveshchensk, and the Tuymazinsky District in 2007–2016. Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) were used to establish possible relationships between medico-demographic indicators and air pollution. Results. Republican fuel and energy enterprises contributed the most to local air pollution levels. Gross emissions from such enterprises as Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim and Bashneft-Navoil reached 43.69–49.77 thousand tons of pollutants per year. The levels of some air pollutants exceeded their maximum permissible concentrations. Elevated concentrations of ammonia, total suspended particles, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide were registered most frequently. High rates of congenital abnormalities, respiratory diseases in infants (aged 0-1), general mortality and morbidity of the population were observed in some oil-producing and refining areas. The correlation analysis proved the relationship between the concentration of carbon monoxide and general disease rates in adults based on hospital admissions (r = 0.898), general incidence rates in children (r = 0.957), and blood disease rates in infants (r = 0.821). Respiratory diseases in children correlated with nitrogen dioxide emission levels (r = 0.899). Conclusions. Further development of oil-producing, petrochemical and oil-refining industries should be carried out taking into account socio-economic living conditions of the population.