Long-term trends (compared to the pre-war period) and public health impact of surface ozone in Ukraine.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To analyze the dynamics of ambient air pollution by surface O3 (in pre-war and wartime periods) and assess its impact on public health in order to provide proposals aimed at developing preventive programs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Physical and chemical methods of analysis (О3 - gas analyzers APDA-370 HORIBA, meteorological sensor WS-600); health risk assessment (AirQ+); statistical data processing methods (StatSoft STATISTICA 10.0 portable, MicrosoftR Excel). RESULTS: Results: Air quality monitoring in peak season 2021 and 2022 detected exceedances of the daily maximum 8-hour ozone (O3) concentration. This resulted in a health risk for the exposed population during 70 % (174 days) and 84 % (181 days) of observations, respectively. The maximum exceedance levels were 1.7 and 2.1 times higher than the recommended limit. Estimated number of excess cases of natural and respiratory mortality in the population over 30 years due to long-term O3 exposure: 227 (95 % CI: 0; 450) and 22 (95 % CI: 0; 54), respectively. Predictive assessments of ozone (O3) air pollution's impact during wartime activities suggest an average increase of 40 % in additional deaths from non-communicable diseases. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Obtained results can serve as a basis for development of medical and environmental measures aimed at implementing adaptation proposals for public health in conditions of global climate change and wartime.

ASSESSMENT OF AMBIENT AIR POLLUTION BY PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10, PM2.5) AND RISK FOR HUMAN HEALTH CAUSED BY WAR ACTIONS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To assess pollution level of ambient air (РМ10, РМ2.5), related to war actions on the territory of Kyiv city and the region for prioritization of medical and environmental problems hazard assessments for the human health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Physical and chemical methods of analysis (РМ10, РМ2.5 - gas analyzers APDA-371, APDA-372 HORIBA); human health risk assessment; statistical data processing methods (StatSoft STATISTICA 10.0 portable, Microsoft® Excel 2019). RESULTS: Results: There were found unusually high average daily levels of ambient air pollution: РМ10 - in March (125.5 µg/m3) and August (99.3 µg/m3); РМ2.5 - in March (108.2 µg/m3), May (23.3 µg/m3), June (24.6 µg/m3) and August (27.1 µg/m3), which were primarily due to the conduct of active war actions and their consequences (fires, rocket attacks) and intensified in the spring-summer period adverse weather conditions. Possible social losses of the population in the form of additional deaths due to inhalation of PM10 and PM2.5, the maximum could be in the range of eight cases per 10,000 people to seven cases per 100 people. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Conducted research can be used to assess the determination of damage and losses caused to the ambient air and the human health of Ukraine as a result of military actions; justification of the adaptation measures choice (environmental protection and preventive direction) and reducing health-related costs.