Environmental monitoring of Lake Baikal
Monitoring of atmospheric air
Atmospheric air pollution in BNT, 2013
In the central ecological zone (CEZ) of the BPT, observations were made in 4 settlements of the Irkutsk region - Baikalsk, Slyudyanka, Kultuk, Listvyanka. In the buffer ecological zone (BEZ) of the BPT, atmospheric air was monitored in 4 large settlements of the Republic of Buryatia - Ulan-Ude, Kyakhta, Selenginsk, Gusinoozersk, and in Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky of Transbaikal Region. In the ecological zone of atmospheric influence (EZAI) of BPT the state of atmospheric air was estimated in 5 cities of Irkutsk region - Irkutsk, Shelekhov, Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirskoe, Cheremkhovo.
| Impurity | Designation |
| Ammonia | NH3 |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | BP |
| Suspended solids | SS |
| Nitrogen dioxide | NO2 |
| Sulphur dioxide | SO2 |
| Chlorine | Cl |
| Copper | Cu |
| Carbon monoxide | CO |
Soluble
solid fluorides | SSF |
| Soot | C |
| Hydrogen sulphide | H2S |
| Carbon disulphide | CS2 |
| Heavy metals | HM |
| Formaldehyde | F |
| Hydrogen fluoride | HF |
| Hydrogen chloride | HCl |
The following characteristics are used in order to determine the level of atmospheric pollution:
• qср(q average) – average concentration of pollutant (impurity), mg/m3 or µg/m3
• qм (q maximum) - maximum single measurement concentration of impurity, mg/m3 or µg/m3
The degree of air pollution is assessed through comparison of actual concentrations with MPC.
MPC – maximum permissible concentration of impurities for residential areas, defined by the Chief sanitary inspector of the Russian Federation.
Average concentrations are compared with the average daily MPC (MPC daily average) and annual (MPC annual),
while maximum single measurement
concentrations - with the maximum single MPC (MPC maximum single measurement).
The following indicators of air quality are used:
• API – comprehensive index of atmospheric pollution, incorporating several impurities. The API value is calculated based on the values of annual average concentrations. The indicator reflects the level of chronic, long-term air pollution
• SI - standard index, the highest measured single measurement impurity concentration, divided by MPC maximum single measurement. It is determined based on the observation data at the station for one impurity, or at all stations within the examined territory for all impurities for a month or a year
• HF - the highest frequency of occurrence, % of excess of MPC maximum single measurement according to the observation data for a single impurity at all town stations over the year
In accordance with existing methods of assessing, the level of air pollution is considered elevated if API is between 5 and 6, SI < 5, HF < 20%, high if API is between 7 and 13, SI - between 5 and 10, HF from 20% to 50% and very high if API is greater than or equal to 14, SI > 10, HF > 50%.
In 2013, compared to 2012, the state of atmospheric air in the settlements of BNT did not changed significantly.
Information source:
Analytical materials according to the data of departmental accounting and monitoring systems of the environment of the Baikal natural territory in 2013
Monitoring 
