Ecological assessment of air quality within the sanitary protection zone of a chemical plant using lichen indication methods

Abstract

Ecological microzoning of the sanitary protection zone (SPZ) of chemical plants allows minimizing ecological risks and economic costs associated with the use of industrial areas. Lichen indication methods, validated under representative site conditions, provide an information and methodological basis for its effective implementation. This article examines the patterns of spatial differentiation and seasonal dynamics of atmospheric air pollution levels within the sanitary protection zone of the Kamensky chemical plant, identified through field studies using modern lichen indication methods. Differential analysis of sections within the Kamensky chemical plant's sanitary protection zone, located at varying distances from the plant boundary and taking into account wind rose data, revealed the most polluted quadrant of the plant's SPZ – the southwest quadrant. The research results demonstrate a pronounced trend of environmental degradation with proximity to the plant's production facilities, with the plant's influence on lichen community composition being most pronounced near the boundary, while external factors dominate lichen composition in the peripheral part of the sanitary protection zone. The results of the lichen indication studies confirmed the high indicative potential of using lichens for ecological air quality assessment within the sanitary protection zone of chemical plants.