Air pollution halved during the month in Cherkasy

Air pollution halved during the month in Cherkasy
Katerina Belousova

The formaldehyde content exceeded the permissible norms by 1.67 times

In Cherkasy, according to the regional center for hydrometeorology, air pollution with ammonia decreased by 2.4 times in October compared to September.

The concentration of polluting substances exceeded the maximum one-time maximum permissible concentration by 0.6-1 times, reports Cherkasy City Council.

It is noted that experts analyzed 483 atmospheric air samples for the content of 17 harmful impurities, namely:

  • the most common substances: dust, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide;
  • specific inorganic substances: ammonia, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfates;
  • heavy metals: cadmium, iron, manganese, copper, nickel, lead, chromium, zinc;
  • of organic compounds: formaldehyde.

In October, no cases of high air pollution in more than 5 MPC were detected.

Value of maximum concentrations by content:

  • dust – 1.0 MPC at all posts;
  • carbon monoxide – 0.6 MPC at PSZ No. 4 (October 6);
  • sulfur dioxide – 0.06 MPC at PSZ No. 3 (October 12);
  • nitrogen dioxide – 0.5 MPC at PSZ No. 3 (October 6);
  • nitrogen oxide – 0.13 MPC at PSZ No. 4 (October 2);
  • hydrogen sulfide – 0.5 MPC at PSZ No. 2 (October 5);
  • ammonia – 0.5 MPC at PSZ No. 2 (October 14);
  • formaldehyde – 0.69 MPC at PSZ No. 3 (October 5).

Compared to September 2023:

maximum concentrations increased:

  • dust – on all posts;
  • ammonia at PSZ No. 2, 4 – by 1.1 times;

maximum concentrations decreased:

  • of carbon monoxide at PSZ No. 4 in – 1.3 times;
  • hydrogen sulfide – on all posts;
  • ammonia at PSZ No. 3 – 2.4 times;
  • of nitrogen dioxide at PSZ No. 3 — in 1.7 tons;
  • of formaldehyde at PSZ No. 3 – by 1.5 times.

"The pollution index was 5.33 (calculated on the basis of monthly average concentrations of dust, ammonia, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide). It decreased by 1.75 times due to a decrease in the average monthly concentrations of ammonia, nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde," the report said.

Average monthly concentrations were:

  • dust – 1.3 MPC at all posts;
  • sulfur dioxide – 0.24-0.26 MPC;
  • nitrogen dioxide – 0.75 MPC at all posts;
  • carbon monoxide – 0.33 MPC at all stations;
  • nitrogen oxide – 0.33 MPC at PSZ No. 4;
  • ammonia – 0.5-0.75 MPC;
  • of formaldehyde – 1.67 MPC at PSZ No. 3.

"The first half of October was characterized by moderately warm and almost dry weather, which contributed to the accumulation of harmful impurities in the atmospheric air," the message explained.

As EcoPolitic reported earlier, according to the WHO, 99% of the world's population breathes air that does not meet quality standards, which causes up to 7 million deaths every year due to problems with breathing and blood flow.

Related
How safe is the air in the capital and regional centres of Ukraine on 19 October?
How safe is the air in the capital and regional centres of Ukraine on 19 October?

The air in Kharkiv is currently the most polluted, whilst that in Zhytomyr is the cleanest

Air quality in Ukrainian cities on 16 October is not critically polluted
Air quality in Ukrainian cities on 16 October is not critically polluted

Air pollution levels in Kharkiv and Rivne are moderate but not yet harmful

No critical exceedances: air quality in Kyiv and Ukraine’s regional centres on 15 October
No critical exceedances: air quality in Kyiv and Ukraine’s regional centres on 15 October

The air is currently most polluted with dust in Odessa and Kyiv

Air pollution levels in Kyiv and Ukraine’s regional centres on 14 October
Air pollution levels in Kyiv and Ukraine’s regional centres on 14 October

At present, the air in Chernihiv is the cleanest, whilst that in Chernivtsi is the most polluted