Scholarly record

SUSPENDED LOAD OF RIVERS AS AN INDICATOR OF TECHNOGENIC POLLUTION

Boris Osovetsky

Abstract

The area of intensively polluted territories in the world has been constantly increasing. The ecological situation within such territories is rather difficult. As to Russia one of these territories is the Urals. It is the populated region with a lot of wastes after very long period of mining activity (extraction of gold, platinum metals, salts, coal, diamonds, precious stones, copper, iron, oil, etc.). The special litho-monitoring program is worked out by the Perm University scientists with the purpose to control the ecological situation within the problematic areas. The preliminary studies had shown that technogenic components were concentrated in suspended load of the rivers just as bottom load was mainly presented by natural grains. This program is based on the annual sampling of suspended load of rivers in constant points, and application of modern investigation methods (laser diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, ICP-MS, electron microscopy, microprobe analysis) for its study. The results of investigation for the territory of Kizel Coal basin has determined the high degree of environment pollution by technogenic components (slag, ochre, magnetic spherules, metallic shaving, etc.) and abnormally high concentration of toxic elements (especially As). The level of toxic pollution varies from year to year that depends on the regime of river basin erosion. The litho-monitoring procedure may be recommended for other regions.

Publication Impact Profile

• Captures
• Mendeley - Readers: 2

PLUMX see details

DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2020/5.1/s20.095

Publication details

Back to publication list