Abstract
Industrial regions of Central Kazakhstan face complex ecological pressures, yet integrated evaluations of multiple environmental compartments remain limited. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of atmospheric air, soils, and surface waters in the Karaganda region, covering five major urban centers. Field campaigns employed standardized national and international protocols for sampling and monitoring, supported by accredited laboratory analyses. Air quality measurements revealed that concentrations of CO, NO2, SO2, H2S, and particulates generally complied with national standards, although discrepancies with stationary monitoring indicated episodic exceedances linked to meteorological conditions. Soil analyses showed that the cities of Temirtau, Saran, Shakhtinsk, and Abai largely remained within sanitary norms, while the city of Balkhash emerged as a critical hotspot: cadmium reached 3.23 mg/kg and lead peaked at 151 mg/kg, exceeding national thresholds more than fivefold. Surface waters displayed distinct stressors: suspended solids in Temirtau and Shakhtinsk consistently exceeded limits (up to 42 mg/L), while Lake Balkhash showed severe ionic enrichment, with sulfates up to 736.5 mg/L and chlorides over 452.6 mg/L, approximately twice WHO guidelines. These findings highlight the dual challenge of controlling industrial emissions and mitigating salinity-driven degradation in a transboundary basin of strategic importance. Results provide evidence for targeted remediation, integrated monitoring, and advancing Kazakhstan's commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.