SSS7.2

Campania Region, Southern Italy, in the last 10 years was facing potential environmental issues which needed to be addressed, with the proper scientific approach, to alleviate pressure from public opinion, based more on emotions than on scientific data. Such pressure indicated an increase of oncological incidence, not supported by scientific data on the presence of anomalous pollutants in different natural media (soil, water, air, agricultural products). To face environmental/health alarm, the Campania Regional Government in 2015 funded a large, multidisciplinary, environmental project known as Campania Trasparente, to Istituto Zooprofilattico del Mezzogiorno (IZSM), to get a deeper and scientific knowledge of the Campania territory carrying out geochemical investigations, to: 1) characterize the geochemical composition of agricultural soil, air and groundwater at regional and local scale; 2) define the level of bio-availability of the toxic elements; 3) try to demonstrate a direct relationship between the presence of contaminants in the environmental matrices, in agricultural products and finally in the human matrices (hair, urine, blood). Within this project we got data on the presence of the potentially toxic metals (PTMs) and hazardous persistent organic pollutants (POPs: OCPs, PCBs, PAHs, PAEs, PBDEs) in different media of the entire Region. The new large dataset complemented our research and monitoring activities, which before 2015, were focused mostly on PTMs in soils, both at regional and local scale. In Campania Trasparente project, samples (9,000) of top and bottom soils, air and bulk deposition (150 passive air samplers, over 7 seasons), waters (1,200), vegetation (2,500) and biological (4,200) media, were collected to characterize the status of PTMs and POPs. The results obtained showed that: a) most of these elements and compounds, in higher concentrations, occur predominantly in critical areas of Napoli Urban and Metropolitan Area (NMA) and in the Sarno river basin; b) the infamous area, in the Caserta and Napoli provincial territory, known as Terra dei Fuochi (Land of Fires), is only marginally interested by anomalous occurrence of PTMs and POPs in some spot areas, not justifying the emotional alarms calling for an increase of oncological cases due to diffuse illegal practice of wastes disposal in the area; c) the agricultural crops of the Terra dei Fuochi are not affected by anomalous PTM. Specifically, the ecological risk conditions for PAHs and some OCPs (Endosulfan) occur, mostly in NMA; PCBs are sourced mostly in urban areas, being dissipated in rural areas, whereas PAEs and PBDEs occur, in general, in concentrations similar to those in other Italian regions, with some higher hot spot values in NMA and south of Salerno town. The interactional complexity between metropolitan and the surrounding rural areas is also confirmed, as it is the role that urban areas play in the migration and transformation process of POPs. High urban-rural gradients for atmospheric PAHs, PCBs and OCPs are observed mostly in the NMA and the urban areas, identified as the main emission source of POPs.  Only OCPs, originating from the nearby agricultural areas, experienced long-term soil re-emission, continuously influencing conterminous urban environment via atmospheric transport processes.

How to cite: De Vivo, B., Lima, A., Cicchella, D., Qu, C., Hope, D., Cerino, P., Esposito, M., Pizzolante, A., Albanese, S., and Korobova, E.: Potentially Toxic Metals and high resolution monitoring at regional and local scale of Persistent Organic Pollutants in the soil, air, and bulk deposition of the Campania Region, southern Italy: Sources and environmental processes, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-13164, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13164, 2022.

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of endemic goiter and other diseases, largely due to the geographical features of the regions. Iodine deficiency diseases can occur not only in inland regions and high-altitude areas, but also in those regions where iodine is poorly involved in the food chains of the local population. Thus, for some territories, an important factor of iodine deficiency may be the diversity of rocks and the difference in soils and aquifers caused by them.

The purpose of the article is to identify the contrast in the concentration of iodine content in the soil cover and natural drinking waters in the Mountainous Crimea, on different rocks. Soil and water samples collected in several regions of the Mountainous Crimea, mostly in Bakhchisarai, were examined.

Samples of natural drinking water (n=34) were taken in three districts of the Mountainous Crimea (Bakhchisarai, Alushta and Simferopol) from various sources (rivers, wells, ponds, aqueduct) in 2017. Soil samples (n=23) were taken in the Bodrak River valley (Bakhchisarai district) from the upper horizons (sampling depth up to 20 cm) in 2019. Iodine was determined by kinetic thiocyanate-nitrite method in the laboratory of the Institute of Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The iodine content in the surveyed drinking water sources corresponds to the existing standards (2-10 μg/l), however, for some sources, extremely low values of iodine content are observed (both for wells 0.89 μg/l and for private pumps and aqueduct 1.11 μg/L), which can be determined primarily by the composition of the water-bearing rocks. The highest median values are marked for springs (Me=5.34 μg/L; n=8) and rivers (Me=6.77 μg/L; n=8), the lowest for aqueduct (Me=1.74 μg/L; n=7). The high variability of iodine in the soils of the automorphic landscapes of the Crimean Mountains was established from 0.43 mg/kg (mountain cambisols) to 15.4 mg/kg (regosols), depending on the humus content and the pH. The highest median values are marked for regosols (Me=5.6 mg/kg; n=13) and cambisols (Me=1.7 mg/kg; n=6), the lowest for fluvisols (Me=1.1 mg/kg; n=4).

The dependence of the iodine content in the upper horizons of different types of soils, primarily on the content of humus and soil pH-water, has been established. It has been confirmed that the content of iodine in natural waters is primarily determined by the difference in aquifers. The study was carried out without financial support, with the partial support of the Laboratory of Biogeochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which provided equipment for measuring iodine.

How to cite: Berezkin, V., Glebov, V., Kayukova, E., and Korobova, E.: A study of iodine concentration in soils and drinking waters of the Mountainous Crimea, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-10028, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10028, 2022.

The geochemical features of stable strontium distribution in groundwater of the Upper Devonian hydrogeological complex within the southwestern flank of the Moscow artesian basin used for centralized drinking water supply in the northeastern part of the Bryansk region were considered in order to detail the potential influence of additional geochemical factors on the manifestation of endemic decease caused by natural iodine deficiency.

Strontium concentration in water samples varied from 0.21 to 28.8 mg/l (median (Me) = 1.03 mg/l, n=34). The analysis of strontium distribution with considering the genetic features of water-bearing rocks showed no significant differences in the content of this element in the waters of depositions of the Frasnian (Me=0.86 mg/l, n=25) and Famennian stages (Me=1.09 mg/l, n=9) (p<0.01). The main sources of strontium in investigated groundwater are strontium-containing minerals (celestine) or strontium impurities in limestones of varying degrees of gypsification associated with the Upper Devonian carbonate rocks (Sr correlation with SO₄: r_<0.05=0.78). The maximum levels of strontium, which significantly exceed the Russian hygienic standard for drinking waters (7 mg/l), were detect in groundwater of Famennian sediments of the Rognedinsky district of the Bryansk region (>20 mg/l). Given the lack of significant correlation between strontium content and water salinity, which is usually observed for strontium-enriched artesian waters of regional hydrogeochemical provinces (Kraynov et al., 2012) it can be explained by the existence of natural local strontium anomaly in this area (Сa/Sr <7).

Membrane filtration of water samples allowed suggesting that strontium migrate in fresh and low-salinity waters mainly within dissolved fraction of groundwater (divalent cation and complexes with sulfate, chloride and hydrocarbonate) with sizes not exceeding 0.45 µm.

The presence of a local anomaly of strontium-containing waters within the Moscow artesian basin, which impair the quality of drinking water in this area, can be a factor of potential risk to the health of the local population living under conditions of iodine deficiency.

The reported study was funded by the Vernadsky Institute federal budget (research task #0137-2019-0006). The Field work was partly funded by RFBR and BRFBR project #20-55-00012 and BRFBR project # Х20Р-386.

How to cite: Kolmykova, L. and Korobova, E.: Concentrations and migration forms of strontium in groundwater used for drinking within the Moscow artesian basin (Russia, Bryansk region), EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-9523, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-9523, 2022.

A series of maps using different GIS spatial analysis techniques were constructed to perform spatial analysis of the distribution of oncological diseases in Belorussia. Mapping was based on the data of the national cancer register, which contains considerable information of all cancer cases of different localization and allows separation of different sex and age groups of the population. Preliminary data verification showed a high variation of cancer cases in different areas. The second step of the research confirmed the high spatial heterogeneity of medical data when the maps characterizing different variation levels of cancer cases were made using a specialized GIS. After that, the regional zoning was carried out for the Gomel and Mogilev regions most subjected to the Chernobyl radionuclides fallout in Belarus and the areas with a significant difference in the level of general and localized cancer rates were separated. The general picture showed that the actual risk level of the oncological diseases (including those of different localization) spatially varies by four times or even more. Such a significant change in the frequency of occurrence of cancer cases of mans and women within limited areas univocally showed on the local factors that can provoke such an increase in morbidity. Considerable radioactive contamination after the Chernobyl accident within this area obvious could be such a factor. However, the obtained maps showed a high level of differentiation before the Chernobyl catastrophe and no definite correlation with radionuclide fallout maps. In any case, in our opinion, the revealed zones of enhanced cancer morbidity and those where the morbidity appeared to be minimal should become the objects of priority study. Those which represent the highest density of cancer cases need priority examination and prevention.

The study was partly funded by RFBR and BRFBR project #20-55-00012 and BRFBR project # Х20Р-386. 

How to cite: Romanov, S., Chervan, A., and Korobova, E.: Spatial analysis of cancer distribution in Gomel and Mogilev oblasts of Belarus as a preliminary stage for revealing the provoking local factors, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-10118, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10118, 2022.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds of the benzene series, which differ in the number of benzene rings. Due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties, they have been included in the list of priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the European Community. Among all PAHs, there is a mutagen and a carcinogen of the 1st hazard class - benzo (a) pyrene (BaP), which is most often used as a marker of environmental pollution with PAHs. Up to 95% of the emitted pollutants are accumulated by the soil in various chemical forms. Since plants are inextricably linked with the soil, it becomes necessary to study the behaviour of PAHs in the formed plant-soil system. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of BaP on the morphometric characteristics of tomato plants under the conditions of a model experiment.

The studies were carried out under the conditions of a vegetation experiment. The soil was sifted through a sieve with a diameter of 1 mm and placed in 2 kg pots in 4 L pots. A BaP solution in acetonitrile was added to the soil surface based on the creation of a pollutant concentration in the soil of 400 and 1200 ng / g, which corresponds to 20 and 60 MPC of BaP. The original uncontaminated soil was used as a control. The soil was sown with tomato plants (Solánum lycopérsicum) of the early maturing variety White filling 241. The experiment was repeated three times. We analyzed such morphometric parameters as root length and stem height, as well as dry biomass of plants.

The root length and stem height in the control sample is set at 32 and 63 cm, respectively. In the samples contaminated with 20 MPC BaP, these indicators were lower, so the root length was 19 cm, and the stem height was 40 cm. In the samples with the introduction of 60 MPC BaP, the root length decreased to 14 cm and the stem height - to 27 cm.

In the control sample, the dry biomass of the roots was 10.3 g and the vegetative part was 80.2 g. When 20 MPC BaP was applied, these parameters decreased to 6.8 g of roots and 67 g of the vegetative part. In the samples with the introduction of 60 MPC BaP, the biomass of the roots was 3.1 g and the biomass of the vegetative part was 44 g, which is lower than the control values.

Thus, a decrease in the length of roots and the height of plant stems, as well as a decrease in their biomass relative to the control values, was established, which indicates that tomato plants are quite susceptible to soil pollution with BaP.

The research was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation project on the development of the Young Scientist Laboratory (no. LabNOTs-21-01AB).

How to cite: Barbashev, A., Dudnikova, T., Minkina, T., Sushkova, S., Bakoeva, G., Tikhonenko, E., Chernikova, N., Rahman, M. M., and Amin, H.: Effect of benzo(a)pyrene on the morphometric characteristics of tomato plants (Solanum Lycopersicum) under the conditions of a model experiment, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-5779, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-5779, 2022.

The application of nanoparticles (NPs) is increasing drastically, especially in crop production. The repeated inputs of metal-based NPs in agri-field could increase their concentration in soil, and cause a threat to sustainable crop production. Thus, the present study was designed to determine the role of spore-forming metal tolerant bacteria (MTB) and biochar (B) to alleviate the toxic effects of high dose of ZnO NPs (2000 mg kg-1) on plants (Hordeum sativum L.) spiked to the soil. For detailed evaluation, the five treatments were used such as 1) clean soil, 2) soil+NPs, 3) soil+NPs+MTB, 4) soil+NPs+B and 5) soil+NPs+B+MTB in plastic vessels in triplicate. The addition of MTB and B showed a promising impact on H. sativum growth in combination and individual inputs. The application of MTB to the contaminated soil reduced the mobility of Zn by 7%, mainly due to exchangeable compounds, and B reduced mobility up to 33%, because of a decrease in equally exchangeable, complex, and specifically sorbed forms. The combined introduction of MTB and B reduced most effectively the actual and potential content of Zn compounds in soil. The content of Zn in H. sativum tissues was increased drastically, especially in ZnO NPs contaminated soil. MTB and B in the contaminated soil reduced Zn accumulation in H. sativum roots by 20% and 63%, and in the aboveground tissues by 11% and 68%, respectively, compared to ZnO NPs polluted soil without amendments. The combined application of MTB and B showed the greatest decrease in Zn accumulation in H. sativum tissues. The root length and H. sativum height was decreased by 52% and 40% in contaminated soil. However, the addition of B, both separately and in combination with MTB reduced root length by 48% and 85%, and plant height by 53% and 40%, respectively, compared to polluted control. The anatomical results also showed an improvement in cellular- sub-cellular organelles, especially in chloroplast by B and in combination with MTB. The results indicate that metal-tolerant bacteria and biochar could be an effective soil amendment to decrease metal toxicity enhance crop growth, and improve soil health.

The research was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 19-34-60041.

How to cite: Bauer, T., Rajput, V. D., Minkina, T., Natalya, C., Beschetnikov, V., Fedorenko, A., Sushkova, S., and Mandzhieva, S.: Insights into biochar and metals tolerant bacteria in alleviating ZnO nanoparticles toxicity in plant, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-2770, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-2770, 2022.

Improper dumps are one of the most common indicators of accumulated harm and are a source of a wide range of pollutants entering the environment. The waste of packaging materials, household chemicals, agrochemicals, used industrial catalysts, ash from thermal waste disposal, and other contaminants have been identified as sources of their introduction into soils from dumps. The accelerated applications of nano-forms of metals are one of the emerging concerns. Like other contaminants, the soil is the main sink for nanoparticles (NPs). Undoubtedly, in the last decade, metal NPs have been recognized for their numerous roles in research and development but due to their increasing amount in the environment, these emerging issues cannot be ignored. Therefore, with this background, the current work was proposed, in which, Pisum sativum L. was exposed to nano-disperse (30-50 nm) and macro-disperse (3-5 μm) forms of metal oxide viz., Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, Cd, Ti, Ni, and Pb at the doses of 3, 30, and 90 background contamination (in mg/kg). After 3-4 days of exposure, the emerged roots were harvested, cleaned with distilled water, and fixed in Clark’s fluid (aceto-alcohol) for further analyses. For microscopic observations, slides were prepared using the squash technique. In this work, the mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations were recorded to depict the extent of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, respectively. The experimental outcomes revealed that the maximal genotoxicity was found in all soil samples at the level of 90 background contamination, regardless of the macro- or nano-state of the metals. Besides, the commonly observed chromosomal aberrations were bridges and fragments. Also, cell ruptures at the metaphase stage, forming a metaphase plate was found but rarely. Thus, the current observation depicted the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of different nano- and macro-disperse forms of metals, however further studies are needed to explore the responsible mechanisms for these toxicological vulnerabilities.  

This study was supported by Russian Science Foundation project no. 21-77-20089.

How to cite: Chernikova, N., Kumari, A., Chokheli, V., Rajput, V., Mandzhieva, S., Shuvaeva, V., Tsitsuashvili, V., Barakhov, A., Nevidomskaya, D., Kirichkov, M., and Timoshenko, A.: Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of macro- and nano-form of heavy metals in Pisum sativum L. grown in soil, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-11146, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-11146, 2022.

Long-term coal mining (more than 50 years) in the Moscow basin has a complex negative effect on soils. Because of underground mining at coal fields spoil heaps with a high content of iron sulfides, aluminosilicates and organic carbon of coal origin were formed. Oxidation of sulfides and acid hydrolysis of aluminosilicates in waste dumps results in the producing of toxic sulfuric acid, Al and Fe sulfates (Nordstrom and Alpers 1999). Acid mine drainage (AMD) entering from eroded spoil heaps, leads to physico-chemical and morphological changes in soil characteristics. On foreslopes around spoil heaps technogenically transformed soils are common. Our study aimed at evaluation of post-mining geochemical evolution of chemical composition and properties of solid and liquid soil phases.

We examined two key sites within abandoned coal mine fields in the central part of the Moscow basin. Predominant natural soils are Greyic Phaeozems and Haplic Chernozems (WRB 2014) (Grey forest and Leached Chernozems in Russian classification).

Soil samples and displaced soil solutions (by ethanol) were analysed for acid-base properties, content and composition of readily soluble salts, content of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺, H⁺ and Al³⁺, composition of exchangeable cations, heavy metals (HM) and organic carbon) by standard methods. The composition of clay minerals in soils were determined by X-ray diffractometry. The saturation degree of soil solutions by gypsum, iron and aluminum hydroxides was estimated.

Properties of technogenic soils differ significantly from natural soils. We observed the transformation of the composition of soil solutions. Key geochemical processes at mine sites in contaminated soils were: (1) acidification and Fe-Al-SO₄ salinization of entire soil profile along with the increment in H⁺ and Al³⁺ ions content; (2) cation exchange, leading to displacement of Cа²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions by Al³⁺, H⁺ and, probably, by Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in soil cation-exchange complex (CEC); (3) alteration of radial differentiation of organic carbon and carbonates in soils; (4) clay mineral transformations.

Topsoil features a high content of technogenic organic carbon (reaches 12%) due to the inflow of coal material particles from the dump. Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions predominate (for 70 to 90%) in CEC of natural soils. Exchangeable Al³⁺ accounts for more than 75% of the acidity formation in transformed soils. The share of exchangeable Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in CEC of contaminated soils depletes on 22-38%.

Extracted soil solutions from polluted soils are heavily oversaturated by Al hydroxides. Even though the activity of Ca²⁺ and SO₄^2- ions in some samples reaches the gypsum saturation level, gypsum neoformations are not distinguished morphologically.

The content of Co, Сu, Ni and Zn in displaced solutions of transformed soils in tens or even hundreds times exceeds the background values. The clay minerals of natural soils are represented by kaolinite, illite, vermiculite and mixed-layer minerals. The sharp increase in smectite fraction (up to 75-80%) and slightly in chlorite fraction was revealed in transformed soils.

Post-technogenic soils have no analogues in natural forest-steppe landscapes of the Russian Plain.

How to cite: Kostin, A., Krechetov, P., Chernitsova, O., and Terskaya, E.: Geochemical transformations in liquid and solid phases of forest-steppe soils in the affected area of Moscow brown coal basin (Russia), EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-12209, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-12209, 2022.

Metal pollution in surface soils of industrial and urban areas is of concern owing to risk to human health and ecosystem and to its transport via winds and water. This study was aimed to determine total concentrations, contamination levels and source identification of metals in surface soil (n=37) from the Bhiwadi Industrial Cluster (BIC; a satellite industrial township to New Delhi). Average metal concentrations in surface soil exceeded their corresponding values in Upper Continental Crust (UCC, taken as background here) and varied depending upon metal(s) and sampling sites(s). Intensive industrial emissions/activities in BIC lead to high contamination factors (CFs > 6) and high pollution load indices (PLI > 1) for metals in surface soil. Average CFs followed the order Cr > Cd > Ni > Cu > Zn > Pb > Mn > V > Fe. Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) of metals in surface soils fall under unpolluted to extremely polluted for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn, unpolluted to heavily polluted for Mn and Pb and unpolluted to moderately polluted for Fe and V. Ecological risk assessment in surface soil samples showed low to extremely high potential ecological risk for Cr, Cu and Ni, considerable to extremely high ecological risk for Cd, low to considerable ecological risk for Pb and low ecological risk for Mn, V and Zn. Risk (RI) values indicated that 37.8% of surface soil samples carried very high risk (RI > 600) of metal contamination in this industrial cluster. Findings suggested that proper waste collection and disposal techniques should be employed to safeguard human health and ecological risk in the region.  

How to cite: Verma, A. and Yadav, S.: Metal Pollution And Ecological Risk Assessment In Surface Soil Of An Emerging Industrial Cluster Near New Delhi, India, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-461, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-461, 2022.

Bryansk region is only Russian, where total radionuclide contamination exceeding 1480 kBq/m² was detected after the Chernobyl accident. At the same time, a definite increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer (ICD-10 code C73) was recorded in this area. From 1990 to 2020, thyroid cancer morbidity in the region increased up to 18.7 cases per 100 000 population compared to the mean value of this parameter for Russia is 6.2 (Kaprin et al., 2020) and 6.0 global (Deng et al., 2020).

To study the geochemical factors responsible for the distribution of thyroid gland diseases, we applied some specialized geographic information system methods. Our approach is based on the idea of a two-layers spatial structure of the modern noosphere (Korobova, 2017). According to the developed approach, the natural geochemical background presented by the soil cover structure is overlain by technogenic contamination fields. In this case, we hypothesize that revealing the causes of the diseases is possible by evaluating the correlation between the two structures: the geochemical and the diseases'.

To analyze the spatial distribution of morbidity, we used the method of kernel density (Silverman, 1986) and the analysis of the obtained maps of thyroid cancer allowed us to identify five territories (with an area of 100-200 km²) characterized by high morbidity (18.0-55.7 cases) and four territories with low morbidity (2.7-10.6 cases). Spatial evaluation of the difference between the original experimental data on iodine content in soils, drinking water, and ¹³⁷Cs deposition in settlements located in areas with high and low thyroid mobidity was performed to estimate natural and anthropogenic geochemical factors contributing to the spread of thyroid diseases. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test showed significantly higher iodine content in centralized water supply (Z=1.46, p=0.06), pasture soils (Z=2.10, p=0.03), local milk (Z=1.71, p=0.08), and lower ¹³⁷Cs deposition, which is used to the restoration of ¹³¹I contamination of the territory (Z=-4.43, p<0.001) in areas with low thyroid morbidity). In our opinion, this witnesses a definite contribution of geochemical factors (iodine deficiency and radioiodine contamination) to the specific spatial distribution of thyroid gland diseases.

The study was partly funded by RFBR (project #20-55-00012) and BRFBR (project #X20P-386).

References:

Kaprin, A., Starinsky, V., Prteova, G. (Eds.) (2021). Malignant neoplasms in Russia in 2020 (morbidity and mortality). National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow (in Russian)

Deng, Y. et al. (2020). Global Burden of Thyroid Cancer From 1990 to 2017. JAMA Network Open, 3(6), e208759. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8759

Korobova, E.M. (2017). Principles of spatial organization and evolution of the biosphere and the noosphere. Geochem. Int. 55, 1205–1282 (2017) doi:10.1134/S001670291713002X

Silverman, B.W. (1986). Density estimation for statistics and data analysis: Monographs on statistics and applied probability. London; New York: Chapman and Hall

How to cite: Baranchukov, V., Korobova, E., Romanov, S., and Kurnosova, I.: Comparison of the Spatial Distribution of Thyroid Cancer Morbidity and Geochemical Factors in Areas of the Bryansk Region (Russia), EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-8325, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-8325, 2022.

Topsoil is a filter that can absorb all wastes of production and anthropogenic activities. During the last 35 years, following several large industrial disasters and artificial radionuclides entering ecosystems, the ways of their migration and impact on living and biosphere systems are attracting close attention. As a result, the determination of both artificial and natural radionuclides in the soil seems relevant and is part of the radiation monitoring of the soil cover in Russia and the world. The purpose of the work was to carry out ecological monitoring of park-recreational, residential areas, as well as specially protected natural areas of the South of European Russia.

The maximum average value of activity for the artificial radionuclide ¹³⁷Cs was revealed in the soils of specially protected natural territories, there is a maximum variation of values. Significant variation of the obtained activity results relates to large sampling and wide geography of studied objects and proximity to the place of the Chernobyl accident (April 26, 1986). Specific activity of natural radionuclides is at the level of average values typical for the Rostov region, which are confirmed by the previously conducted data. The specific activity in recreational areas and specially protected natural territories is approximately at the same level and has a similar distribution pattern. The arithmetic average of specific activity of the studied radionuclides for the inhabited zones is:¹³⁷Cs - 13,5 ± 1,3 Bq/kg, ²²⁶Ra - 19,0 ± 1,1 Bq/kg, ²³²Th - 20,6 ± 0,8 Bq/kg, 334 ± 13,3 Bq/kg - ⁴⁰K; for recreational:15,8 ± 0,9  Bq/kg - 137Cs, ²²⁶Ra – 24,0 ± 0,4 Bq/kg, ²³²Th – 31,5 ± 0,4 Bq/kg, 436 ± 6 Bq/kg - ⁴⁰K and for specially protected natural areas: 25,6 ± 3,6 Bq/kg - ¹³⁷Cs, ²²⁶Ra – 23,8 ± 0,7 Bq/kg, ²³²Th – 26,4 ± 0,8 Bq/kg, 365,8 ± 13,1 Bq/kg - ⁴⁰K.

This study  was performed with financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation within the framework of the state task in the field of scientific activity (no. 0852-2020-0029)

How to cite: Kozyrev, D., Gorbov, S., Buraeva, E., and Salnik, N.: Activity concentration of radionuclides of natural and anthropogenic-transformed soils in Rostov region, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-5308, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-5308, 2022.

Recycling and disposal of e-waste by informal sector in developing nations raise concerns due to its environmental consequences and human health hazards. In this study, metal toxicity and leaching behaviour of 13 metals (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn).  were investigated in surface dust samples (n=20) of informal e-waste recycling area in New Delhi by using Waste Extraction Test (WET) and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The WET and TCLP tests were developed by California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) respectively to simulate landfill conditions for metal leaching under laboratory conditions. All metals were leached more in WET compared to TCLP. In WET test, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn exceeded the prescribed threshold limits of CDTSC and failed the test whereas Cd and Pb exceeded the threshold limits of USEPA in TCLP. Though Cu, Ni and Zn are not regulatory metals in TCLP, but their leaching concentrations exceeded the threshold limits of CDTSC. In both the tests, Fe, Mn and Sn were also leached in considerable amounts. In WET, Sn (37.7) leached in maximum percentage followed by Cd (28.7), Zn (27.9), Pb (27.7), Co (21.1), Mn (14.8), Ni (11.4), Fe (8.5), V (7.6), Cu (7.5), Ba (3.5), Cr (2.9) and As (0.4) respectively; whereas in TCLP Co (20.7) leached maximum followed by Cd (17.1), Zn (12.8), Mn (7.1), Ni (6.7), Sn (4.9), Cu (3.1), Pb (2.2), Ba (1.1), Fe (0.4), V (0.3), Cr (0.2) and As (0.1) respectively. The WET test was found to be more aggressive in leaching of metals when compared to TCLP due to citrate ion chelation property. Leaching of metals higher than the threshold limits can cause contamination of soil, surface water and ground water in nearby areas and can affect the human health and environment. Therefore, there is needs to regulate policies and environmentally sound new technologies for e-waste recycling to safeguard the human health and environment.

How to cite: Kumari, H. and Yadav, S.: Metal Leaching from Surface Dust of an Informal E-Waste Recycling area in New Delhi, India, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-464, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-464, 2022.