The powerful urbanization of recent years has led humanity to the brink of a real environmental disaster. There is not enough clean water and air, as well as food that is not contaminated with various kinds of harmful substances. Therefore, environmental protection, an important element of which is environmental monitoring , is becoming an increasingly priority area in almost all developed countries.
What is it? In simple terms, such monitoring is a system of interconnected systemic measures, with the constant implementation of which scientists receive information about the current state of specific ecological systems, and can also identify signs of disturbances that begin in a particular biocenosis in time.
Moreover, every year, not so much the classic monitoring of the environment, but its variety, which studies the human impact on the environment, is becoming increasingly important. Such control is especially relevant near large cities that have a catastrophic effect on nature.
It should not be assumed that all these activities are represented by only two measurements. As already mentioned, environmental monitoring is a measurement system. Air purity control is carried out; scientists take samples of specific atmospheric precipitation or snow cover; samples are also taken from water bodies for analysis.
Of great importance is the radiological control of soil, air and water, as well as background control of the general state of the biosphere. Thus, environmental monitoring of the environment allows comprehensive monitoring of the quality of nature surrounding a person and timely measures to eliminate the identified dangers.
It should be noted that an environmental check on air should be carried out daily where there is a developed industrial production.
It is especially important to determine if hazardous substances such as hydrogen sulfide, formaldehydes, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen are in the air. They can cause the so-called acid precipitation, from which large cities constantly suffer.
Equally important is environmental monitoring aimed at studying precipitation. In precipitation near large industrial centers, the content of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic is necessarily measured. Any excess of their maximum permissible concentrations can lead to serious health problems in the local population.
Accordingly, soil analysis near industrial cities is also important.
Such studies are carried out annually; the monitoring also determines the degree of soil pollution with heavy metals.
In light of the relatively recent events in Japan and in the Primorsky region, environmental monitoring associated with measurements of radiation activity has become extremely important.
Summing up, we can say that the prevention of environmental hazardous situations largely depends on the correct and timely measurements, which in time can warn of danger.