Agriculture and forestry

Romanchuk Lyudmila Donativna − Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Technologies, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University (103 Chudnivska St., Zhytomyr, Ukraine, 10005; e-mail: ludmilaromanchuck14@gmail.com; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4790-8414).

Valerko Ruslana Anatoliivna − Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Technologies, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University (103 Chudnivska St., Zhytomyr, Ukraine, 10005; e-mail: valerko_ruslana@ukr.net; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4716-0100).

Herasymchuk Lyudmila Oleksandrivna − Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Technologies, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University (103 Chudnivska St., Zhytomyr, Ukraine, 10005; e-mail: gerasim4uk@ukr.net; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3166-5588).

Life expectancy is a key indicator of public health, reflecting the overall socio-economic development and environmental conditions of a country. In rural areas, where centralized water supply systems are often unavailable, the quality of drinking water becomes a critical factor influencing residents' health. Non-centralized water sources, such as wells, boreholes, or open reservoirs, are often characterized by elevated levels of harmful substances or bacterial contamination, which may lead to chronic diseases and increased risks of premature mortality. The study was conducted in rural settlements of 12 territorial communities in the Zhytomyr district during 2020–2023. Water samples were collected from non-centralized sources and analyzed for nitrate and total iron content. The study utilized the Loss of Life Expectancy (LLE) metric to evaluate the effects of drinking water consumption. LLE was calculated as the product of the probability of a hazardous event or exposure (Risk) and the average remaining life expectancy (L). Official data from the Zhytomyr Regional Statistics Office were used to determine average life expectancy and the mean age of the adult population. The study found that the average nitrate concentration in drinking water from non-centralized sources exceeded established standards in all examined communities, ranging from 1.4 times higher in Novohuivynska to 3.5 times higher in Volytska. Total iron concentrations exceeded national standards only in Lyubarska, but relative to European standards (0.2 mg/dm3), most communities showed exceedances between 1.15 and 2.7 times. Life expectancy reduction due to nitrate-contaminated water was estimated to range from 0.85 years in Novohuivynska to 2.13 years in Volytska for adults, with even greater impacts on children, ranging from 1.67 to 4.22 years. Similar calculations for iron contamination showed reductions ranging from 0.11 to 1.17 years for adults and 0.21 to 2.31 years for children. These findings underscore the significant health risks associated with consuming water with elevated levels of nitrates and iron.

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