Using the case of Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, and Darkhan cities from Mongolia, the study aimed to assess the contamination level and health risk assessment of heavy metals (As, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in urban soil. A total of 78 samples was collected from a variety of functional areas. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and integrated pollution index (IPI) were used in pollution assessment, while the health risk was scored using a hazard quotient (HQ) and health index (HI) for non-carcinogenic heavy metals, as well as a lifetime average daily dose (LADD) for carcinogenic heavy metals. The results show that the concentration of heavy metals in the soil samples taken from Darkhan city, which presented “uncontaminated” values in terms of Igeo for all metals, was relatively lower than other cities within the contamination assessment. Furthermore, the Igeo value signified “uncontimated to heavily contaminated” soil in the Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet cities. Typically, as for the IPI that observed similar trends with Igeo, the mean IPI values in Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, and Darkhan were 1.33 (moderate level of pollution), 1.83 (moderate level of pollution), and 0.94 (low level of pollution), respectively. In terms of the assessment of potential health risk, there was a particular or different level of ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation exposure pathway for human health. Among these three different pathways, the ingestion was estimated by the main contributor for health risk. Each value of HQ and HI indicated that soil heavy metals of studied cities were at a safe level (<1) or had the absence of a significant health risk there. In addition, the potential health risk for children was greater than for adults, where heavy metal values of HI for children had a high value compared to adults. We estimated carcinogenic risks through the inhalation exposure, and as a result, there were no significant risks for human health in the studied cities from three elements (As, Cr, and Ni).

The purpose of this study was to identify pollution sources by characterizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from total suspended particles in Ulaanbaatar City. Fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in total suspended particle samples collected from different sites, such as the urban center, industrial district and ger (Mongolian traditional house) areas, and residential areas both in heating (January, March), and non-heating (September) periods in 2017. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration ranged between 131 and 773 ng·m−3 in winter, 22.2 and 530.6 ng·m−3 in spring, and between 1.4 and 54.6 ng·m−3 in autumn. Concentrations of specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as phenanthrene were higher in the ger area in winter and spring seasons, and the pyrene concentration was dominant in late summer in the residential area. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in the ger area were particularly higher than the other sites, especially in winter. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon ratios indicated that vehicle emissions were likely the main source at the city center in the winter time. Mixed contributions from biomass, coal, and petroleum combustion were responsible for the particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution at other sampling sites during the whole observation period. The lifetime inhalation cancer risk values in the ger area due to winter pollution were estimated to be 1.2 × 10−5 and 2.1 × 10−5 for child and adult exposures, respectively, which significantly exceed Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

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Abstract-The purpose of this study is to analyses mass concentration varied by its measurement of PM 2.5 and PM 10 according to the months and seasons. The study explored mass concentration in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia with above schedule. It lasted from January, 2014 to April, 2015. The selected sites were Zaisan, Sansar tunnel, Kyokushu and Denj myanga within Ulaanbaatar.The study also analyses average mass concentration of PM 2.5 and PM 10 for the duration between October, 2009 and January, 2015.The study concluded that mass concentration of PM 2.5 and PM 10 increases during winter and decreases during summer. This variation depends on climate and pollution sources.

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Mining extraction operations of bigger mining projects in the Gobi

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The purpose of this research was to determine characteristics and composition of white dust in the tailings pond of Erdenet Copper Mining (ECM) and to identify mass concentration of the particulate matter (PM10) around Erdenet city. Based on these goals, we determined critical level of flaring speed for white dust and how to reduce this speed. Meteorological data and particulate matter (PM10) were collected from the Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE) and Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) in Erdenet city. The mass concentration of par-ticulate matter (PM10) were analyzed and compared with WHO guidelines and Mongolian air quality standard (MNS4585:2016). Critical speed of flaring was tested in the laboratory condition and based on that we had estimated total number of days that white dust released into the air. In addi-tion, in order to reduce flaring white dust, watering method was tested in the laboratory and based on that the moisture amount to avoid flaring of white dusts had estimated. Results were shown that spring and autumn have a significantly higher level of mass concentration of PM10 in Erdenet city. It was caused by the stagnant atmosphere which leads to pollution’s cumulative effect and white dust from the storage of tailings pond during spring and autumn. Particle size of white dust had two types, 2-0.05 mm sandy and 0.05-0.002 mm dusty; yet it had a high concentration of As, Pb, Zn and Cu that were higher than the Mongolian national standard of heavy metals for soil. The critical level of flaring speed was about 4-5 m/s. Based on this critical level of flaring speed for white dust, on average 25 days per month had flaring white dust. The test result in the laboratory was shown that 5 percent of moisture would reduce the flaring