MIPT: Computer program for monitoring toxic fuel oil vapors

Main article: Air pollution

2025: Developing a program to forecast the spread of air pollution

MIPT scientists have developed a computer program to predict the spread of air pollution resulting from the release of fuel oil on the Black Sea coast. The system predicts the movement of air masses three days in advance. The invention is fully ready for practical use. The university announced this on January 22, 2025.

It is designed for the needs of services that are struggling with the consequences of the accident.

Like any fraction of petroleum products, fuel oil releases hydrocarbons, sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds. It can be dangerous for humans and animals. MIPT has prepared a proposal to control air pollution and water pollution. We compiled them with the support of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and transferred them to the Ministry of Education and Science. As of January 22, 2025, we are waiting for approval when we can directly begin this work on the spot, "said Alexander Rodin, head of the MIPT applied infrared spectroscopy laboratory.

For volunteers who work with the localization of a fuel oil spill, inhalation of vapors is dangerous because it can exacerbate the diseases of the respiratory system they have, said Stanislav Proshdnov, head of the laboratory for analyzing population health indicators at MIPT.

Шаблон:Quote 'Large volume vapors can also cause problems on their own, this is known even from safety courses. Therefore, during work, it is better to protect the respiratory organs, "he added.

According to Alexander Rodina, if air pollution is not so noticeable due to low temperatures, then by the summer, when heat increases evaporation, the situation may worsen. Contamination does not take the form of condensate, fog or liquid droplets, it is a gaseous impurity in the air. The program takes into account several dozen types of impurities. This is a fairly large list of substances, the release of which can occur as a result of man-made or natural disasters.

Scientists used their past developments and foreign codes with open access in the system. The program includes a meteorological part that takes into account the movement of air masses, heat transfer, moisture transfer, precipitation, as well as a transfer model that calculates how pollution will move. The third component is chemical, it analyzes all possible interactions of air polluting elements.

For calculations, the program needs data from sensors installed near emission sites. The more information is entered into the system, the more accurate the forecast. For more verified results, you need to take into account vapors from large spots of fuel oil that drift into the sea. Samples from them can be taken directly from the surface of the sea. Since air masses constantly change their location, specialists will also need mobile sensors that will follow the movement of emissions. Conventional serial sensors are suitable for monitoring.

A good server is enough for the system to work, the authors of the project noted. It is launched through a regular browser and can be used by employees without special knowledge in meteorology or information technology.

According to the head of the working group on the selection of new technologies for eliminating the consequences of the disaster, one or two days will be enough to assess the development, then it can be used for monitoring. Now it is very difficult to determine the scale of atmospheric pollution as a result of interaction with vapors of petroleum products, there is no sufficient data for this, so the development will be extremely relevant, environmentalists explained.