A comparative analysis of methods for assessing the environmental security of territories

Annotation. The results of a study on the water quality, bottom sediments and coastal soil based on the level of anthropogenic pollution by heavy metal compounds and organic polutants are presented. The most commonly used integral and complex indicators used to assess the environmental safety of territories have been calculated. A comparative analysis, using the Shannon Biodiversity Index, highlighted the total pollution index (Zc) as the most informative, among those analysed, in terms of the impact of anthropogenic pollution on biota. The results established a methodology for assessing the environmental safety of territories that needs to be improved. By using the Maximum Permissible Exceedance (MPE) indicator, objective data will be available when determining the negative impact of pollution of natural environments on the state of ecosystems.