DETERMINATION OF ADDITIONAL HEALTH RISK DUE TO POLLUTANTS IN AMBIENT AIR DURING OPERATION OF ROAD-VEHICLES COMPLEX

Abstract

Introduction. According to the materials of the World Health Organization, air pollutants are one of the most significant factors affecting the health of the population. The main urban air pollution source is road transport. The determination of air pollutants amount during the operation of the road-vehicles complex (RVC) with suspended substances is an important procedure for monitoring the risk to human health, planning, and evaluation of measures for the protection of residential areas ambient air. The existing methodical documents and regulations do not fully regulate important aspects of air pollution monitoring and assessment by-products caused by exhaust gases of the vehicle and emissions associated with the operation of the RVC. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the additional population health risks due to pollutants reaching the air of residential areas during the RVC operation. Material and methods. The method of emissions measurement reaching the air during the operation of the RVC is based on existing methodical documents and regulations. To assess the pollution, the data of observations of the intensity of traffic flow in different time periods in the experimental territories are used. The calculation of pollutants amount released into the air during the operational wear of the RVC is determined separately for the tire treads, brake system, and road pavement. Results. Guided by the constructed nomogram, taking into account distribution zone of the air pollution, it is possible to determine population health risk during the RVC operation in the city based on the calculation of the hazard coefficient. Discussion. On the basis of the calculations, data on the number of pollutants reaching the air during the RVC operation (wear of tire treads, brake system, road pavement) and from vehicles of various types for 1 year are presented. The data on the pollutants quantities generating on the road on a per 1 km car run basis, reaching the ambient air for various periods of time (hours, days) with the aim of the derivation of the spatial-temporal characteristics of the pollutants. On the basis of the obtained data, approximate calculations of the number of pollutants reaching the air during the operation of the RVC from all vehicles registered by St. Petersburg traffic police at the moment and the forecast for the period 2020 were carried out. Сonclusions. The given data on the hazard coefficient calculation of suspended solids emissions of RVC allow summarizing the risk from all the compartmental RVC sources. On the basis of the distance from the road to residential buildings presented in the nomogram, it is possible to determine an additional population health risk due to pollutants reaching the air during the RVC operation using a mathematical model of dispersion.