Hygienic assessment of contamination of the territory of the Vostochny cosmodrome from previous rocket and space activities

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by the presence on the territory of the Amur region of a significant number of objects formed as a result of previous rocket and space activities, and the legislative consolidation of the tasks of eliminating such objects and ecological and hygienic assessment of the territory.

Material and methods. A comprehensive examination was carried out after the decommissioning and liquidation of combat launch positions (CLPs) of silo-based liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) of the territory adjacent to the Vostochny cosmodrome. At former sites of silo-launching installations (SLIs), potential pollutants include residues of highly toxic and extremely dangerous components of liquid rocket fuel and their transformation products, heavy metals, arsenic, petroleum products, and benzo(a)pyrene. In an accredited testing laboratory, studies were carried out to determine the qualitative and quantitative content of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and its destruction products, heavy metals, and radionuclides in soil and vegetation.

Results. It has been shown that the main factor at former CLPs is local contamination of the soil (grounds) with components of liquid rocket fuel, petroleum products, their combustion products, heavy metal compounds and some other toxic substances. In the soils of terrestrial CLPs with group ICBMs, local contamination with UDMH, heavy metals and their compounds, and benzo(a)pyrene was found close in level to the soil MPC. Foci of contamination with zinc compounds up to a level of 3.1 MPC of soil, copper — 13.4 MPC of soil, lead — more than 70 MPC of soil, arsenic — 3.2 APC were also identified. Soil contamination with petroleum products according to median readings corresponds to background values. The total individual carcinogenic risk for the children’s population along all routes of entry of chemicals with soil at the sites of the former CLPs was 2.55E–06, for the adult population 3.28E–06, which corresponds to an acceptable level of risk, but requiring constant monitoring.

Limitations. A number of uncertainties associated with incomplete information about all possible contaminants of environmental objects, as well as a low level of sensitivity of the analytical methods used compared to reference concentrations, which can lead to an overestimation of possible exposure.

Conclusion. According to the results of the study, the local administration was recommended to organize restoration work on the former sites of SLIs after reclamation and include the point of upgrading these sites in the plan of implementation of the municipal program “Risk reduction and mitigation of the consequences of natural and technogenic emergencies, as well as ensuring the safety of the closed administrative-territorial formation “Tsiolkovsky”.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require submission of the opinion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents.

For correspondence: Artem D. Polyakov, postgraduate student of the Department of the general and military hygiene of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, researcher of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Scientific Research Institute of Hygiene, Occupational Pathology and Human Ecology” of the FMBA of Russia, 188663, Leningrad Region, Russian Federation. E-mail: tema.poliackow2011@yandex.ru

Author contribution:
Polyakov A.D. — collection of material and data processing, writing the text, reviewing publications on the topic of the article, concept and design of the study, editing;
Kombarova M.Yu., Radilov A.S., Alikbaeva L.A. Yakubova I.Sh., Suvorova A.V., Khurtsilava O.G. — concept and design of the study, editing.
All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship. Conducted within the framework of the Federal Target Program “Development of cosmodromes for the period 2017–2025 in support of space activities of the Russian Federation”.

Received: December 26, 2023 / Accepted: May 5, 2024 / Published: June 28, 2024