Assessing risk caused by atmospheric air pollution from motor vehicles to the health of population in urbanized areas

Abstract

The object of this study is a regional center with a developed industry and a significant transport load. The study assesses the impact of car emissions on public health. It is shown that on average in the city, emissions from vehicles are 0.341 mg/m∙s and vary from 0.038 to 1.012 mg/m∙s. The main pollutants are nitrogen dioxide (from 39.3 to 58.5 % of the total emission, the average value is 50.9 %) and carbon monoxide (from 39.5 to 47.7 %, the average value is 38.7 %). There is an excess of the maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) by the content of NO2 (1.5‒4.5 MPC with an average value of 2.7 MPC), formaldehyde (4.3‒4.4 MPC ), hydrocarbons (1.2 MPC), soot (1.3 MPC). The level of carcinogenic danger for adults (R=1.9∙10-4) and children (R=3.8∙10-5‒9.8∙10-5) is rated as average. Soot (61.0 %) and formaldehyde (38.9 %) account for the largest contribution. Behind a non-carcinogenic risk, there is a significant danger of increasing morbidity of the population (HI=9.9‒14.0 with an average value of 11.1). Principal pollutants are formaldehyde (37 %), NO2 (23 %), hydrocarbons (17 %). The most vulnerable are the respiratory system (НІ=8.7) and the immune system (НІ=4.3). A significant health hazard is due to low fuel quality, technical and operational characteristics of cars, adverse natural conditions for the dispersion of impurities. The method of interpolation and extrapolation of the results of full-scale observations was used to assess the effect of gaseous and dust components from vehicles on humans. The current study makes it possible to assess the combined impact of pollutants on the risks of disease and premature death of the population, to identify the danger and zoning the territory by the level of danger. The results obtained can be important for making effective management decisions in the field of environmental protection and public health