Living standards in the area close to wastewater treatment facilities – sources of odor nuisance

Summary

A review of literature data on the assessment of the impact of atmospheric air pollution on the living standards in the areas close to the enterprises – the sources of odor including wastewater treatment facilities is presented. Numerous studies have shown that perceptible odor in the atmospheric air and irritation caused by it results not only in the deterioration in the quality of life of people, but also in some disorders – somatic (headache, short wind, irritation of the respiratory tract, general malaise, etc.) and emotional (overstrain , fatigability, depression, etc.). At the same time, often the maximum permissible concentrations of certain pollutants are not exceeded which keeps the regulatory authorities from taking appropriate measures in relation to the enterprise. Therefore, in case of numerous complaints from the residents about odors and, as a result, deterioration of health and living standards it is necessary to significantly expand the approaches associated with assessing the impact of emissions from enterprises – sources of odor, primarily wastewater treatment facilities due to their commonness. To this end it is proposed to introduce into the regulation and monitoring practice the criteria compliance with which can ensure the absence of odor nuisance in the atmospheric air. In assessing the potential effects of odors on public health the comprehensive analysis of air pollution using various methods (instrumental and olfactory-odorimetric) and with a simultaneous survey of the population living under the conditions of different exposure levels to odor nuisance is of great importance. Conducting comprehensive and multi-attribute research will significantly improve the level of scientific knowledge in this field and open the door for controlling odor in the atmospheric air, in particular, when planning measures to reduce emissions of odorous substances.

Key words

odor , sewerage treatment facilities , public health , living standards , odor nuisance

Special aspects of substantiating sanitary protection zones
for the municipal wastewater treatment facilities

Summary

A comprehensive hygienic assessment of the municipal wastewater treatment facilities (with a capacity of 73 and 180 thousand m³/day of domestic and industrial wastewater) as sources of the chemical and physical impact on the ambient air and public health is presented. The studies were carried out in a city in the Moscow Area with a population of more than 150 thousand residents. The characteristics of the wastewater disposal system including wastewater treatment technology, standard equipment of the treatment facilities, technical operation parameters, composition and amount of emissions are typical for the Russian small cities including the cities in the Moscow Area with a population of 100–2000 thousand residents. It was stated that the maximum input into the gross emission was given by sludge beds (68%), aeration tanks and secondary settlers of the biological treatment process (12.4 and 5.3%). It is shown that the impact of the chemical and physical factors on the ambient air and public health (following the methodology of the assessment of the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic effect occurrence) does not exceed the hygienic regulations and permissible risk values. Based on the results of the study a system of criteria that can be recommended for the substantiation of the sanitary protection zones for the wastewater treatment facilities is proposed.

Key words

wastewater , sewerage treatment facilities , ambient air , sanitary protection zone , public health