Accounting dust emission in the system of management of ambient air quality

Abstract

Introduction. The fulfillment of effective measures to manage the level of dust pollution in the atmospheric air of settlements requires correct hygienic assessments of the situation and reliable data on the sources of particulate emissions. The purpose of the study was to substantiate what is need to take into account the entire set of solid emitted components when conducting hygienic assessments of the situation, including the consideration and approval of draft standards for permissible emissions and projects of sanitary protection zones. Materials and methods. On the example of a large industrial enterprise, calculations of the dust emissions dispersion were made with and without taking into account the total mass of solid components. Source parameters are taken according to the enterprise inventory list. Dispersion calculations were carried out using the standardized program “Ecolog-City”. Results. For each individual solid substance at the border of the sanitary protection zone and at the points of the nearest housing no violations of hygienic standards were established to be recorded. The situation was characterized as normative, not requiring measures to improve the safety of the population. The total release of the solid component of emissions (TSP) created an excess of the hygienic standard for the group “suspended substances” (0.5 mg/m3) at the border of the sanitary protection zone. The zone of excess pollution (more than 1 MPC) extended to the residential area. The level of pollution calculated from the totality of solid substances was satisfactorily corresponded with the data of instrumental measurements. Limitations. The limitation of the study is related to the fact that the obtained results characterize a particular enterprise, however, the principal approaches used can be applied to any similar studies. Conclusion. It seems appropriate to harmonize the concept of “suspended matter” with the definition adopted by the World Health Organization, establishing that suspended matter is the total amount of solid particles of organic and inorganic substances. Fixing such a concept in sanitary rules and regulations ensures the correctness of the hygienic assessment of the situation, the comparability of calculated and natural data, the absence of contradictions between the established emission standards for each type of dust and the results of a health risk assessment (performed taking into account the sum of all particulate matter). The use of MPCs for various types of dust remains an important tool for identifying emission sources and preventing the negative impact of dusts with carcinogenic or highly toxic properties.