AEROTECHNOGENIC POLLUTION OF AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES BY INORGANIC DUST ON THE EXAMPLE OFZHYTOMYR EASTERN INDUSTRIAL HUB

Zhytomyr Region does not belong to the territory of excessive anthropogenic pressure. However, over the past 4 years, the index of industrial production has increased on the average by110,3 % annually, with the fastest growth observed in the mining and processing sector. The background pollution within the limits of Zhytomyr does not cause concern. But the fact that such enterprises are concentrated in the eastern part of Zhytomyr makes the consideration of this issue through the prism of the citywide background level non-informative. It has been proved that the coarse and fine dust containing heavy metals is the most dangerous compound among those that enter the environment in the gaseous state. The territory of the eastern industrial hub is covered with fertile dark gray podzolics and podzolic chernozems, which gives this area a special value. At the same time, the studies have demonstrated that the area is under excessive anthropogenic pressure. The samples of dust mass taken from this territory have made it possible to determine the high toxicity of the dust as well as the hazard of excessive flow of heavy metals into the soils, vegetation, natural waters, etc. The shift of histograms for the distribution of dust contamination depends on the frequency and direction of the prevailing winds. The highest concentrations of dust in the air has been observed in the 400–500 m zone in all directions under investigation. In most cases the standard exceedance by more than 2 MAC has been observed within 1 km area. In some places the exceedance by more than 1 MAChas been noticed at a distance larger than 2 km. The minimum frequency of critical point excess has been observed in the direction of the southwest wind. The strongest dust dispersion away from the source of emissions has been noticed in the case of the most intensive and repetitive northwest wind.