Hazardous materials in the environment of Dnepropetrovsk Region (Ukraine)

The investigations were aimed at assessment of environmental pollution in one of the most industrialized legions of Ukraine - Dnepropetrovsk Region. The following types of environmental contamination were considered in the study: emissions and concentrations of 16 air pollutants; content and distribution of 15 elements in soils and plants at the polluted and unpolluted territories. The investigations were conducted at 28 urban sites and 18 rural sites of the Region during 1991-1998 years. Level and character of air, soil and plants contamination were investigated. Statistical methods were used to describe quantitatively the relationships between contents of hazardous materials in the environment. It was found that concentrations of fluoride, iron, copper, zinc, and lead in the soil and contents of fluoride, iron, nickel, cadmium, and aluminum in plants were several times higher than normal. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.