Influence of Emissions from the Stationary Heat Sources upon the Atmospheric Precipitation Pollution with Inorganic Nitrogen in the Sevastopol Region

Abstract

Purpose. Boiler houses are currently an indispensable and integral element of infrastructure in any settlement. They supply us with hot water; provide heating of living quarters, working areas etc. However, functioning of each stationary heat source has a significant drawback: harmful emissions to the atmosphere. These emissions via the atmospheric precipitations fall on the underlying surface contaminating water, especially coastal ecosystems, soils etc. The aim of the work is to study the effect of such emissions from the stationary heat sources upon pollution of the air and atmospheric precipitations with inorganic nitrogen. Methods and Results. To evaluate possible effect of emissions from the boiler houses upon the atmospheric precipitation pollution in Sevastopol, the results of chemical analysis of the nitrogen oxidized forms’ concentration in the precipitation samples were scrutinized, and the increased number of the boiler houses, their types and, hence, growth of their emissions in 2015–2018 were assessed. Conclusions. According to the data provided by the Office of Federal State Statistics Service for Sevastopol, in 2016 the number of the boiler houses increased sharply that resulted in growth of the nitrogen oxides emissions to the atmosphere. At the same time, our data showed a two-fold increase of the inorganic nitrogen flow with the atmospheric precipitations in a cold period. Having been analyzed, the oxidized nitrogen concentration in precipitations and the nitrogen oxides’ emissions from the boiler houses in Sevastopol, demonstrated close correlation. However, in 2018, despite the increased number of the boiler houses, a significant decrease in emissions from the stationary heat sources was observed; it is confirmed by our data on the inorganic nitrogen flow with the atmospheric precipitations.