Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands
The article presents the results of the seven-year study on the state of arable lands and wastewaters in the districts of mining enterprises in Armenia. An assessment of the ecological and toxicological state of wastewaters and contaminated areas was carried out. Methods for their purification are p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/394 |
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| author | Meruzhan Haykaram Galstyan Maxim Viktorovich Larionov Hovik Yakhsibek Sayadyan Karine Shahen Sargsyan |
| author_facet | Meruzhan Haykaram Galstyan Maxim Viktorovich Larionov Hovik Yakhsibek Sayadyan Karine Shahen Sargsyan |
| author_sort | Meruzhan Haykaram Galstyan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article presents the results of the seven-year study on the state of arable lands and wastewaters in the districts of mining enterprises in Armenia. An assessment of the ecological and toxicological state of wastewaters and contaminated areas was carried out. Methods for their purification are proposed aimed at their further use and obtainment of environmentally safe agricultural products. An area of about 0.5 ha, next to the rural community of Syunik in southern Armenia, has been polluted for many years by mining sludges from the nearest mine watertight cofferdam of the Zangezur copper-molybdenum combine. Activities have been carried out to clean up the soil in this area. After plowing, soil improvers (zeolite, bentonite, and manure) were introduced into the soil. On-site treatments, soil tillage, and the introduction of soil improvers into the soil was implemented in late autumn. Soil and plant samples were taken to determine the content of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Mo, Ni). In the following spring, the area was planted with potatoes, eggplant, and peas. A rather high yield was obtained. Analysis of plant samples showed that the content of heavy metals does not exceed the permissible level of the international food safety standard. At the same time, soil studies were carried out in the adjacent areas of the Sotk mine, located to the southeast of Lake Sevan. It was revealed that due to the increase in the volume of the mining industry and the amount of rock dumps, the organoleptic and chemical indicators of the waters of the Sotk and Masrik rivers deteriorated. Compared to the previous decade, the amounts of suspended particles per 1 L of water have increased by 210…317.0%, in the waters of Sotk—by 32.1 mg/L, and in the waters of Masrik—by 13.2 mg/L. The same tendency is observed regarding the amounts of nitrates, sulfates, and hydrogen index, which is mainly due to the chemical composition of rocks. They contain a large amount of Ca, K, Na, Mg, etc. This trend is especially noticeable along the rivers, where intensive agriculture, primarily livestock farming is carried out. The material of the work solves a complex of environmental and economic problems. It is aimed at ensuring environmental safety, improving the ecological and resource properties of soils, increasing the productivity of cultural phytocenoses and the sanitary and hygienic quality of food products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:32:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-674cf0adef4a452da3d23170a86b8e08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:32:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-674cf0adef4a452da3d23170a86b8e082023-11-16T21:40:40ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292023-01-0113239410.3390/life13020394Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian HighlandsMeruzhan Haykaram Galstyan0Maxim Viktorovich Larionov1Hovik Yakhsibek Sayadyan2Karine Shahen Sargsyan3Faculty of Agronomy, Armenian National Agrarian University, 74 Teryan Street, Yerevan 0009, ArmeniaFaculty of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Russian State Social University (RSSU), 4 Wilhelm Peak Street, Building 1, 129226 Moscow, RussiaFaculty of Geography and Geology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alec Manukyan Street, Yerevan 0025, ArmeniaFaculty of Agronomy, Armenian National Agrarian University, 74 Teryan Street, Yerevan 0009, ArmeniaThe article presents the results of the seven-year study on the state of arable lands and wastewaters in the districts of mining enterprises in Armenia. An assessment of the ecological and toxicological state of wastewaters and contaminated areas was carried out. Methods for their purification are proposed aimed at their further use and obtainment of environmentally safe agricultural products. An area of about 0.5 ha, next to the rural community of Syunik in southern Armenia, has been polluted for many years by mining sludges from the nearest mine watertight cofferdam of the Zangezur copper-molybdenum combine. Activities have been carried out to clean up the soil in this area. After plowing, soil improvers (zeolite, bentonite, and manure) were introduced into the soil. On-site treatments, soil tillage, and the introduction of soil improvers into the soil was implemented in late autumn. Soil and plant samples were taken to determine the content of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Mo, Ni). In the following spring, the area was planted with potatoes, eggplant, and peas. A rather high yield was obtained. Analysis of plant samples showed that the content of heavy metals does not exceed the permissible level of the international food safety standard. At the same time, soil studies were carried out in the adjacent areas of the Sotk mine, located to the southeast of Lake Sevan. It was revealed that due to the increase in the volume of the mining industry and the amount of rock dumps, the organoleptic and chemical indicators of the waters of the Sotk and Masrik rivers deteriorated. Compared to the previous decade, the amounts of suspended particles per 1 L of water have increased by 210…317.0%, in the waters of Sotk—by 32.1 mg/L, and in the waters of Masrik—by 13.2 mg/L. The same tendency is observed regarding the amounts of nitrates, sulfates, and hydrogen index, which is mainly due to the chemical composition of rocks. They contain a large amount of Ca, K, Na, Mg, etc. This trend is especially noticeable along the rivers, where intensive agriculture, primarily livestock farming is carried out. The material of the work solves a complex of environmental and economic problems. It is aimed at ensuring environmental safety, improving the ecological and resource properties of soils, increasing the productivity of cultural phytocenoses and the sanitary and hygienic quality of food products.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/394mining industrywastewatercontaminationheavy metalstoxicants and supertoxicantschemical composition of waters |
| spellingShingle | Meruzhan Haykaram Galstyan Maxim Viktorovich Larionov Hovik Yakhsibek Sayadyan Karine Shahen Sargsyan Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands Life mining industry wastewater contamination heavy metals toxicants and supertoxicants chemical composition of waters |
| title | Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands |
| title_full | Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands |
| title_short | Assessment of Ecological and Toxicological State of Soils and Waters in the Neighborhood of Mining Industry Enterprises in the Armenian Highlands |
| title_sort | assessment of ecological and toxicological state of soils and waters in the neighborhood of mining industry enterprises in the armenian highlands |
| topic | mining industry wastewater contamination heavy metals toxicants and supertoxicants chemical composition of waters |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/394 |
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