Main results, prospects of application and improvement of the health risk assessment of the population of Siberian cities – participants of the “Clean air” project (Bratsk, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk, Chita)

Introduction. As part of implementing the federal project “Clean air” provisions, the Human health risk assessment in Bratsk, Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk, Chita under the influence of ambient air-polluting chemicals was carried out. The main task of the risk assessment was to substantiate the list of priority chemicals that make the most significant contribution to risks (for monitoring and quoting) and to determine the primary sources of air pollution in the city with these substances (for subsequent quotas). 

Materials and methods. The initial information for assessing the exposure and human health risks in each city was the consolidated databases of stationary and mobile emissions sources. Calculations were carried out in standardized software products of the “Ecolog-Gorod” series. Risk indicators were determined under the provisions and requirements of the guideline R 2.1.10.1920-04. In each city, the calculations were performed at residential buildings (from 11 to 14 thousand points in the territory). Emissions from more than 1350 thousand sources were taken into account. Surface concentrations of 45 to 60 impurities in each city are considered. 

Results. Unacceptable, including high health risk, was found to form in all the cities studied. According to the hazard index, the diversity of exceeding the permissible risk levels reached 15-20 times. About 630 thousand people live in areas of unacceptable risk, including more than 200 thousand people in areas of high risk of diseases. Critical affected organs and systems are the respiratory systems, immune system, blood, offspring development, etc. The chemical impurities determined for each territory and their sources, which together contribute up to 90% to unacceptable risks, are considered as priorities for monitoring and quotas. Recommendations were developed to improve the procedure for preparing initial data for risk assessment and verify the results of risk assessment by epidemiological and medical-demographic studies.