Impact of Fossil Fuel Combustion Emissions and Wildfires on Air Quality of Urban Environment in a Western Siberian Industrial City

Assessments of air quality in industrial cities are receiving much attention, especially in regions sensitive to the ecological and climate changes. The atmospheric aerosol loading was studied in the city of Novy Urengoy during the summer–autumn of 2023. Particle number concentration and the mass concentration of particles with a size less than 10 µm (PM10) and 2.5 µm (PM2.5), as well as black carbon (BC), were measured by the mobile Aerosol Complex. The portion of fossil fuel combustion (FF%) and biomass burning (BB%) was estimated using the aethalometer model. BC concentrations increased during pollution episodes recorded at the end of June (I) and July (II) and, in the beginning of August (III) and September (IV), doubled on average in comparison with the level of urban emissions. During episode IV of maximum pollution, the ВС concentration and its impact on PM2.5 increased 4 and 5 times, respectively. At that time, the portion of fossil fuel combustion FF% approached 96%. Cluster analyses of ВС dependence on the wind speed and direction revealed the sector of high concentration source. FF% indicated the direction of the emissions from the biggest industrial enterprise of the Urengoy oil and gas condensate field. Wildfire plume was identified by ВВ% from the south of Siberia.