Assessment of the soil quality is ofprime importance essential for the characterization of the ecological and hygienic condition of the territory, as the soil is the first link of the food chain, the source of secondary air and water pollution, as well as an integral index of ecological well-being of the environment. Herewith the qualitative analysis of soil complicated by the specifics of the soil genesis in the urban environment, in which an important role is played by manmade land bulk and alluvial soils; the inclusion of construction of material debris and household garbage in upper horizons; the growing up of the profile due to the perpetual introduction of different materials and intensive aeolian deposition. It is advisable to consider the currently neglected question of the study of soil vapor containing volatile chemicals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the paper there are considered methodological issues for the evaluation of soil biota in terms of oil pollution. Experimental studies have shown that under the exposure of a various levels of oil pollution meeting certain gradations of the state and optimal alteration in microbocenosis in sod-podzolic soils, there is occurred a transformation of structure of the complex of micromycetes and the accumulation of toxic species, hardly typical for podzolic soils - primarily represantatives of the genus Aspergillus (A.niger and A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne of the main criteria which determine the possibility of the use of a particular type of ice-melter reagents (IMR) is the degree of their safety for the environment and human health, which is reflected in the establishment of safe doses and concentrations. In this regard, the current area of research is to improve the ecological and epidemiological principles of risk assessment of modern types of anti-icing agents. Currently available data concerning monitoring soil studies and the snow held in various cities of Russia, show that there is a process of accumulation of the main components of IMR - sodium and chlorine ions in the areas related to the roadway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the paper there is presented a review of existing guidelines and rules of operation of deicing materials (DIM), as well as opportunities for their processing with the aim to ensure the security for the environment and public health. There are described the ecological- hygienic and toxicological properties of chemicals. There are reported results of a pot experiment for the assessment of the impact of DIM on the lawn.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe article presents data on the levels of soil pollution by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in different regions of Russia and foreign countries. For the time present proposed regulatory value for the regulation of PCBs in soils of different land uses have been established to be set mainly on the results of the calculations of risk. However used initial values and features of the methodology for calculating determine significant variability of proposed levels of PCBs in soils.
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