Environmental and health assessment of soil pollution impact on public health

Abstract

The paper considers environmental and health assessment of the soil cover quality in Bratsk, the Irkutsk Region. The purpose of the research: environmental and health assessment of soil pollution impact on the public health when exposed to chemicals formed during aluminium production. The method of analyzing the total fluoride content (in mg/kg of soil) on the horizons of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm is used; a volume of the oral, inhaled, and cutaneous intake of this substance from the soil is assessed. Based on the risk assessment of multi-mediated exposure to chemicals, a quantitative characteristic of the total intake of fluoride compounds is given. It’s been found that of all the sampling points in Bratsk, the most contaminated with fluoride compounds is the village of Chekanovsky (the maximum content is 1,722 mg/kg); the soils of the village of Padun are less polluted (the maximum content is 48 mg/kg). The total average daily intake of fluoride compounds for the adult is determined, the values of them don’t exceed the human’s need for fluoride when calculated per kg/body weight. The most sensitive group to environmental pollution, including soil, by fluoride compounds, is children.