Risk-oriented monitoring of heavy metals in the environment of the industrial region

Objective. The purpose of our research was to analyze the volumes of industrial atmospheric emissions and discharges from heavy metals (HM) water sources and determine their relationship with the actual concentrations of these compounds in air and drinking water in the industrial city of Dnipro. Materials and methods. It has been conducted an analysis of air pollution and water sources in the city of Dnipro according to the data of the regional state department of statistics, the regional department of water management, the laboratory of the regional center of hydrometeorology. Results. In recent years, in the volume of industrial emissions of HM into the atmospheric air of the city of Dnipro, priority is given to manganese and copper (47.76 and 39.84%, respectively). In addition, lead (68%), cadmium (100%), chromium (62%), copper (88%), nickel (15%) occupy a significant place in the total amount of emissions. Water effluents make a significant contribution to environmental pollution. The most significant contribution is made by iron and zinc (88.2 and 7.5%, respectively). This situation is due to the concentration in the city of a significant number of powerful enterprises, unaccounted for sources and vehicles. In life-sustaining environments, these HM are constantly determined. Their average concentrations mostly do not exceed the corresponding maximum permissible concentrations, but are 2.3-3.5 times higher than the background values. Continuous monitoring of the content of HM indicates a gradual increase of these substances in water by 1.5-32 times and a decrease in atmospheric air by 1.5-24 times due to the dispersion and sedimentation properties of these metals. The obtained data are the basis of the need to strengthen the control of state supervision bodies over the content of HM in the environment of such a powerful industrial city as Dnipro. Conclusions. It has been shown that industrial atmospheric emissions and wastewater from enterprises are powerful sources of HM pollution of the atmospheric air and water basin of the city of Dnipro and the Dnipro river. Their concentrations significantly exceed the background values, which is a significant risk factor for negative impact on the ecosystem and public health. Research results confirm the complex nature of metal migration and point to the need for further monitoring of HM in the environment for the development of scientifically based methods of reducing the content of HM in the external environment to regulatory levels, reviewing their effects on the human body taking into account the combined effect with other factors, establishing new regional regulations. Keywords. Heavy metals, emissions, environment, health risk.