In the world, air pollution ranks among the primary sources of risk to human health and the environment. To assess the risk of impact of atmospheric pollution, a comprehensive research cycle was designed to develop a unified ecosystem for monitoring air pollution in industrial cities in Kazakhstan. Research involves analyzing data for the winter period from 20 automated monitoring stations (AMS) located in Almaty and conducting chemical-analytical studies of snowmelt water samples from 22 points to identify such pollutants as fine particulate matters, petroleum products, and heavy metals. Research includes a bio-experiment involving the cultivation of watercress on samples of melt water collected from snow cover to examine the effects of pollution on plants. In the framework of this research, we determined API based on data obtained from AMS. In order to determine the influence of atmospheric pollution on the environment, a multiple regression model was developed using machine learning algorithms to reveal the relationship between the bio-experiment data and data on pollutants of chemical-analytical research. The results revealed a wide spread of pollutants in the snow cover of the urban environment, a correlation between pollutants in the snow cover and the airspace of the city, and their negative impact on flora.

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The key environmental problem of the city of Almaty is atmospheric air pollution. The objective of the study was to forecast changes in emissions of pollutants in the city of Almaty, taking into account various scenarios for the development of motor transport. Based on research and calculations, environmental quality targets for Almaty for the period up to 2025 on emissions of pollutants from motor vehicles have been compiled and approved. The analysis of quantitative and qualitative indicators of vehicle emissions in the city in 2017 and 2022 is given. Measures have been developed to reduce emissions of pollutants by road into the environment of the city of Almaty.

Almaty is the largest city in the Republic of Kazakhstan, population is almost 2,0 million persons. The atmospheric air pollution is the most important environmental problem in this city. The main sources of the atmospheric air pollution are: emissions of the motor transport, emissions of the heating power plants (HPP), which use the solid fuel, emissions of the other industrial enterprises as well as emissions of the heating devices used in the private sector. According to the design data, motor transport makes the main input into the formation of total amount of the emissions. At the same time, some experts and public representatives periodically doubt the priority significance of the motor transport emissions for formation of level of the atmospheric air pollution at the residential areas. Analysis of possible interconnection between the changes in the transport flow on Almaty roads and level of the atmospheric air pollution at the residential areas in the area of influence is conducted based on the data provided by the posts of the automatic continuous observations, which belong to LLP “ECOSERVICE-C”. Winter period of the year 2022 was selected for evaluation of level of the pollutants’ content in the atmospheric air. During this period heating power plants HPP-1 and HPP-2, as well as heating devices of the private sector were operated day-and-night under maximum load. It was found out that level of content of fine-dispersed particles РМ10 and РМ2,5, as well as NO2 and СО increases in the atmospheric air, when the intensity of the motor transport movement grows. The results of monitoring during the period of January 5th – 9th, 2022, when the transport movement was limited due to introduction of the curfew regime, is the sound argument, which gives the evidence on the motor transport role in the atmospheric air pollution. According to the expert evaluations, during this period only about 20-30 % of the available motor transport were operated. At the same time, heating power plants HPP-1, HPP-2 and HPP-3, boiler houses, heating devices of the private sector worked at full capacity. During this period, based on the data provided by the air monitoring stations, which belong to LLP “ECOSERVICE-C”, the abrupt reduction of all pollutants, measured in the air, was observed. The environmental assessment of effectiveness of the measures directed on reduction of the pollutants’ emissions in Almaty, was conducted. Withdrawal of the diesel motor transport from the city allows reduction of the emissions. Practically complete elimination of emissions of solid particles РМ10 and РМ2,5 is the main effect of the diesel motor cars’ prohibition. Use of the electric motor transport and compressed natural gas (CNG) will give the significant influence on the emissions’ reduction. Such measures are the most perspective as regards the motor transport. Limitation by days of access for the motor transport with even and odd numbers will give the largest qualitative effect in reduction of the pollutants emitted by the motor transport (by 55,5 %). Prohibition to manufacture the passenger cars with ecological class up to Euro 4 and their replacement by ecological classes Euro 5-6 will result in the emissions’ reduction by 40,9 %.