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Vol. 29 (2026 year), No. 1, DOI: 10.21443/1560-9278-2026-29-1

Chuikina D. I., Korol I. S., Mukhortina N. A.
Chemical composition of surface water under anthropogenic load (on the example of small reservoirs in the Tomsk region)

Assessment of the natural waters' state requires an integrated approach including the determination of a wide range of physico-chemical parameters, on the basis of which specialized indexes and classifications are developed. Traditional analysis methods do not always take into account the effects of a number of pollutants, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can have a significant impact on ecosystem processes and the quality of the aquatic environment. The paper presents the results of studies of small lakes in the Tomsk district (Tomsk region) affected by anthropogenic activity, which are freshwater reservoirs with electrical conductivity values of no more than 0.34 ms/cm, pH values up to 7.2. The content of inorganic macro components (cations and anions) does not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations (MPC), which indicates a satisfactory chemical composition of the water. The content of photopigments in bottom sediments has been analyzed in detail. A wide range of chlorophyll a concentrations from 0.35 to 2.3 µg/g has been recorded for all the studied samples, which may be due to the heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of phytoplankton and the trophic status of reservoirs. The individual and total content of 13 priority PAHs in surface waters has been studied in detail. Their total concentrations range from 0.37 to 0.54 µg/l, which indicates the presence of a moderate level of contamination; naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene and benz[a]anthracene predominate in the composition, which have the ability to bioaccumulate. Based on the data obtained, the water pollution index (WPI) has been calculated showing that all the lakes studied belong to the category of moderately polluted, approaching the border with polluted reservoirs. Thus, the study has made it possible to assess the impact of unintended anthropogenic impact on the chemical composition of surface waters of small reservoirs in the Tomsk region. Special attention has been paid to the role of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the formation of the ecological state of water bodies and their contribution to changes in the values of the water pollution index. The results obtained demonstrate the importance of such studies for monitoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

(in Russian, стр.15, fig. 3, tables. 4, ref 34, AdobePDF, AdobePDF 0 Kb)

Vol. 29 (2026 year), No. 2, DOI: 10.21443/1560-9278-2026-29-2

Mukhortina N. A.
Extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from natural systems to establish the source of their supply

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have marker properties and serve as indicators of pollution sources associated with natural or man-made processes. During the extraction of PAHs from model mixtures using various solvents, it has been found that the use of n-hexane ensures high efficiency of compound extraction from surface water samples taken in areas with different anthropogenic loads (extract weight of 400–1900 µg/L). Using high-performance liquid chromatography, individual PAHs have been identified and their total content in the samples has been determined. Water from the area affected by the oil spill contains 0.25–0.37 µg/L PAHs, 78 % of which are low-molecular compounds (naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene). In waters from the area where oil production facilities are located, the total content is determined in the range of 0.40–1.10 µg/L; the main contribution (77 %) is made by high-molecular compounds [fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene and benzo(a)pyrene]. Surface waters from coal mining areas contain PAHs in amounts of 0.24–0.88 µg/l; the presence of dibenz(a,h)anthracene (0.01–0.05 µg/l) has been noted in them. When calculating indicator ratios, it has been determined that the sources of PAH entry into surface waters from oil spill and coal mining areas are mainly natural, petrogenic and pyrogenic in nature. In areas with a load from the activities of oil producing enterprises, the entry of PAHs is caused by both petrogenic (fluid influx from strata) and anthropogenic (spill or combustion of oil products) processes.

(in Russian, стр.13, fig. 8, tables. 2, ref 27, AdobePDF, AdobePDF 0 Kb)