Air quality and the health of Norilsk population: dynamics of the situation over 20 years

The article presents a retrospective analysis of the dynamics of air pollution in Norilsk with emissions from the largest metallurgical enterprise MMC Norilsk Nickel. In the city, for many years, elevated concentrations of sulfur dioxide, suspended particles, nickel, copper, benzo(a) pyrene and other substances have been recorded. Their impact has led to increased morbidity and mortality among the population of Norilsk. Estimated health risks from exposure to fine particulate matter (PM10) and sulfur dioxide are given. The excess mortality of Norilsk residents from exposure to sulfur dioxide decreased from 10% in 2007 to 0.8% in 2014—2019.

Dynamics of mortality in Norilsk for 2008—2019 compared with data on the urban population of the Krasnoyarsk Territory is ambiguous. The mortality of men from all causes, including cerebrovascular and circulatory system diseases, is lower than in other cities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, but higher from respiratory diseases. Mortality among women in Norilsk is higher than in the urban population of the Krasnoyarsk Territory by 16.6%, incl. from diseases of the respiratory system — by 82.7%, from diseases of the circulatory system — by 6.5%. The higher mortality rate of the female population of Norilsk among other cities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory may indicate the detrimental effects of the impact of polluted atmospheric air on the female part of the population.

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