Caspian Sea: State of the Environment 2019

monitored in Baku, Sumgayit and Lankaran, which are the major urban areas with a high population or significant industrial activity. Air quality has improved since 1995 (Azerbaijan, State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2017). There is no unified system for monitoring air quality in the region. Monitoring is fragmented and the data collected by the countries are, in most cases, disparate. Air monitoring activities and the frequency of monitoring vary across the region, making it difficult to assess air quality in the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea. In Mangystau Region (Kazakhstan), air pollu- tion monitoring is conducted at seven station- ary posts that are part of the state system in Ak- tau, Zhanaozen and Beineu. According to the data recorded, atmospheric pollution levels in Zhanaozen and Beineu were low and did not ex- ceed permissible values. According to data from the fixed monitoring network, the atmospheric pollution level in Aktau was high. The air in the city was polluted with PM-10 suspended par- ticulate matter. Compared with the previous period, atmospheric pollution levels in Aktau increased from low to high, while in Beineu, they fell from high to low. Atmospheric pollu- tion levels in Zhanaozen remained unchanged (Kazhydromet 2016). Kazhydromet conducts occasional monitoring in Koshkar-Ata and Bautino. Here, the concentra- tions of suspended particulate matter (PM-10), sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen di- oxide, nitric oxide, soluble sulphates, ammonia and total hydrocarbons were measured. Accord- ing to the data recorded, concentrations were within permissible ranges. The maximum concentrations of suspended par- ticulate matter, sulphur dioxide, carbon monox- ide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, sulphuric acid and total hydrocarbons in the Dunga and Zhety- bai oilfields did not exceed maximum permissi- ble concentrations (Kazhydromet 2016). There are 39 monitoring posts in Atyrau Region, including 20 posts on the territory of the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), 12 posts at the Tengiz oilfield operated by Tengizchev-

roil, four posts at the Atyrau Refinery, five posts in Atyrau and one post in Kulsary. Monitoring at NCOC posts was limited to carbon monox- ide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide; at Tengizchevroil posts it was limited to hydrogen sulphide, sul- phur dioxide, hydrocarbons (methane), carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide; and at Atyrau Refinery to carbon monoxide, ni- trogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sul- phide, sulphur dioxide and total hydrocarbons. Kazhydromet conducted occasional monitoring in the settlements of Kulsary, Zhana Karaton and Ganyushkino, as well as at the Zhanbay, Zaburunye, Dossor and Makat oilfields, mea- suring concentrations of suspended particulate matter (PM-10), sulphur dioxide, carbon mon- oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, soluble sulphates, phenol, formaldehyde, methane, am- monia and total hydrocarbons. According to the data recorded, concentrations were within permissible ranges. Atmospheric pollution levels recorded in Atyrau and Kulsary in 2016 had not changed compared with the previous period (Kazhydromet 2016). However, 357 cases of high and 75 cases of ex- tremely high atmospheric pollution in Atyrau were noted. According to the results of occasional on-site monitoring and monitoring conducted at the oilfields in 2017, pollutant concentrations were within permissible regions. In the Caspian region of the Russian Federation, atmospheric pollution is monitored in urban centres, as well as at the integrated background monitoring station located in the Damchik area of the Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve on the Cas- pian Sea coast (Federal Service for Hydrometeo- rology and Environmental Monitoring of Russia [Roshydromet] 2017). According to the Russian Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), the number of air samples that do not meet standards in Makhachkala is lower than the average for the Republic of Dagestan. There was also a reduction in the

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