The use of multi-criteria method in the process of threat assessment to the environment

Elwira Zajusz-Zubek; Zygmunt Korban

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-97939-4

The use of multi-criteria method in the process of threat assessment to the environment

Sci Rep. 2021 Sep 14;11(1):18296. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-97939-4.

Authors

Elwira Zajusz-Zubek¹, Zygmunt Korban²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Air Protection, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 22B Konarskiego St., 44-100, Gliwice, Poland. elwira.zajusz-zubek@polsl.pl.
² Department of Safety Engineering, Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation, Silesian University of Technology, 2 Akademicka St., 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.

Abstract

Measurements of the content of trace elements, including toxic and carcinogenic metals, in various fractions of particulate matter PM are an important element of environmental monitoring and research involving their impact on human health. The article presents the measurement results of atmospheric composition of suspended dust (PM₁₀), respirable fraction (PM_2.5) and submicron particulate matter (PM₁) collected with the Dekati PM₁₀ cascade impactor. Samples were collected in the vicinity of four working power plants (from 28 May to 23 September 2014) and four coking plants (from 4 May to 28 August 2015) in Upper Silesia, Poland. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the solutions: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and selenium (Se) obtained for individual fractions was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, using the apparatus ICP-MS. The research results were used to determine a synthetic assessment of the threat to the anthropogenic environment and for the preparation of the ranking of the measured points.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't