Caspian Sea: State of the Environment 2019

One of the most pressing problems in the region is the increasing contribution to air pollution from mobile sources. In Baku, mobile sources account for 84 per cent of air pollution ( Azerbai- jan, State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2017). Regular monitoring of dust (PM10 and PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbonmonoxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen monoxide is currently con- ducted in Azerbaijan. On the coast, air quality is

(Russian Federation, State Oceanography Insti- tute 2012–2016). The Caspian Environmental Control Service (Haz- arEcoControl) of the Turkmenistan Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection moni- tors water quality in the north-eastern sector of the Caspian Sea. Water in the eastern sector contains certain concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons, phenols and heavy metal ions. Seasonal reductions in dissolved oxygen content, which can vary from 4.6 to 7.6 mg per litre, are possible here. The country has focused particularly on the need to clean up hotspots like Soymonov Bay, which was heavily polluted by the refinery plant on the coast. The hydrocarbon concentration has fallen to 2.2 mg per litre over the last 10 years (National Contribution). 5.3. Air quality Air quality is an important indicator of anthro- pogenic pressure on the environment. In addi- tion to having a direct impact on human health and land-based ecosystems, atmospheric pol- lutants can be deposited on the surface of water bodies and affect water quality. All of the Caspian littoral states note with a high degree of confidence that transport and industri- al emissions are the main sources of air pollution (National Contributions). Their main concerns with regard to air quality are related to industrial areas and urban centres. Air pollution can be classified according to two main groups: particulate and gaseous. Some forms are visible and some invisible. Both groups have a major impact on human health and the environ- ment. Some atmospheric pollutants contribute to climate change (Nugumanova et al. 2017). There are four main sources of air pollution: • mobile sources: cars, buses, aeroplanes, trucks, trains, etc. • stationary sources: power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, factories, etc. • area sources: agricultural areas, cities, wood-burning fireplaces, etc. • natural sources: windblown dust, forest fires, volcanoes, etc.

RUSSIA

NO₂

Dust

Dust NO₂

Dossor,

Kosshagyl Makat,

Thousand tonnes

KAZAKHSTAN

Formaldehyde

Atyrau

SO₂

Dust

50

Kulsary

Zhanbay,

NH₃

0

Zaburunye

Astrakhan

Kalmykia

Thousand tonnes

CASPIAN SEA

200

H₂SO₄

PM₁₀

150

SO₂

NH₃

Aktau

100

Makhachkala

Formaldehyde

Dust

50

0

Dagestan

SO₂

NO₂

AZERBAljAN

Dust

Sumgayit

NO₂

NO₂

Baku

SO₂

Turkmenbashi

TURKMENISTAN

IRAN

PM₁₀

PM₂.₅

Rasht

PM₂.₅

0

100 km

PM₁₀

Sari

Degree of increase in the concentration of air pollutants by the WHO and national indicators

Border

Pollutants from mobile sources

Basin

Country Administrative units

Dust

2 5 9 12 27 times higher

CO

SO₂

NOx

Oil fields

Sources of pollution

Mobile

Stationary

Oil/gas

Baku Sumgayit

Dagestan Kalmykia Actau Turkmenbashi Astrakhan city

Sources: National statistical offices; Anoshkina et al., 2015; Mustafaev et al., 2016; “ Report ” , 2017; Rosprirodnadzor; SoE-Astrakhan, 2017; SoE-Kazakhstan, 2017; SoE-Seaport Aktau, 2017; SoE-Turkmenistan, 2008; WHO Air pollution online map, figures for 2016; WHO-guidelines.

Map by Manana Kurtubadze, GRID-Arendal, April 2018.

Figure 5.4: Pollutant emissions

67