On study results of atmospheric air quality in Irkutsk-2 microdistrict and Bokovo settlement (Irkutsk, Southwestern Baikal Region) using snow geochemical survey

The study of snow cover is an informative method for the comprehensive assessment of atmospheric air pollution from various man-made sources applicable to a vast area of the northern territories featuring long winter. At the same time, improving the methodology of snow geochemical surveying helps optimize the solution of such urgent tasks of developing and preserving geosystems in northern regions as assessing the background state of the environment before starting new infrastructure or mining projects, monitoring the impact of explored objects on natural and anthropogenic complexes. The purpose of the study is to assess the ecological state of the air in the Irkutsk-2 microdistrict and in Bokovo settlement (Irkutsk, Southwestern Baikal Region, Eastern Siberia) adjacent to it. The relevance of the study is related to the currently increased frequency of organoleptic and instrument detection of atmospheric pollution, which causes the residents’ dis content. A detailed snow and geochemical survey was carried out to identify and map the areas and the impact degree of the main known economic facilities, as well as identify potential new sources. The research involved taking seasonal snow samples, study of the chemical composition of the solid phase of the snow cover in the area under investigation, as well as mapping the distribution of various pollutants, and interpretation of the data obtained. The article presents the main results of the study in a cartographic form. An expanded set of interactive materials  allowing to compare the identified pollution areas with the locations of interest is presented on the public geoportal of the Institute “Siberian School of Geosciences” of Irkutsk National Research Technical University (geo.istu.edu). The data obtained are characterized by high information content. They are confidently mapped, which makes it possible to consider the express approach based on non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis to be quite an effective variant of snow geochemical surveying.

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