Vol 31, No 1 (2023)

The analysis of the scientific literature on the subject of bioremediation in Latin America countries shows that due to the excessive and uncontrolled use of pesticides in agriculture, there are negative impacts on the environment, mainly on soil and water, as well as on human health. However, through processes such as bioremediation, which utilize the metabolic potential of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, it is possible to reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment and human health, which are key factors for achieving sustainable development. Colombia has a severe pesticide pollution problem, as the uncontrolled use of pesticides has affected not only the environment but also human health. Thus, bioremediation is a good alternative to the restoration of a polluted environment and the reduction of its impact on human health.

The article presents an overview of scientific publications on the subject of the study «carbon balance in terrestrial ecosystems», made for the territory of Japan and indexed in the Scopus database for the period 2017-2021. Within this theme, the areas with the highest number of articles are highlighted: carbon fluxes in soils, carbon stocks in above ground phytomass (mainly studies of the ecosystems of Hokkaido), features of carbon dioxide sequestration by various plant species typical for Japan, as well as the carbon balance dynamics associated with deforestation, reforestation and natural phenomena such as typhoons. The most active in publishing activity scientific and academic institutions were identified (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; National Agriculture and Food Research Organization; Hokkaido University).

The paper analyzes the working conditions of workers in the dairy industry, which showed that the prevailing harmful production factor is the increased noise level. It has been proven that noise has a negative impact not only on the hearing organs, but also on the whole organism as a whole as a general biological irritant, therefore, reducing noise expansion due to engineering solutions is an urgent task of our time. The article assesses the noise impact on operators of the dairy industry as part of a special assessment of working conditions. The analysis showed that the excess noise level is observed at all workplaces. To protect workers from an increased noise level, a design of a sound-suppressing piece sound absorber is proposed, which is distinguished by high sanitary and hygienic properties. The use of sound-suppressing piece sound absorbers will improve working conditions from a harmful class to an acceptable one.

The results of studying the content of Fe, Сu, Mo, Zn, Co, Se, Th and U in drinking water, soil and hair of teenagers of different ethnic groups (Nivkhs, Evens, Russians) living in the Khabarovsk Territory are presented. One of the priority directions of the regional policy of the Khabarovsk region is the preservation of the health of indigenous people. In the conditions of a biogeochemical province, the organism develops adaptive mechanisms that compensate for the imbalance of a number of microelements in the environment which occurred for many generations. However, in the areas of compact residence of the indigenous population, there is an increase in the illnesses from 2010 to 2020 among the Nivkhs (Mykolaiv district) and Evens (Okhotsk district) by 1.8 times and 1.4 times, respectively, which indicates the presence of signs of depletion of the functional reserves of the body of indigenous people. In this regard, the assessment of the ecological state of the environment and the analysis of the content of chemical elements in the hair, reflecting the duration and nature of their entry into the organism, is of particular relevance.

The review presents data on chemical-analytical methods of PCDD, PCDF determination and biotesting methods used for toxicological assessment of pollutants. Distribution of PCDDs, PCDFs on the territory of Moscow is analyzed. Analysis of publications of Russian and foreign authors showed that the currently existing methods of biotesting are in fact untested for dioxins. In order to quickly establish the toxicological effect of persistent organic pollutants in soil, it is suggested to use biotesting methods, with inclusion of test organisms representing the main trophic levels of ecosystems: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

This research provides an overview of the main component of forest ecosystems in northern Europe, the tree layer formed by the Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L .) species. The studied communities are located in the immediate vicinity of the largest plant in Europe, OAO Severonickel (Monchegorsk, Murmansk region). The main pollutants are polymetallic dust containing elements such as Cu, Ni and Co (which are by-products of processing and smelting non-ferrous ores) and sulfur dioxide - SO2 (which is formed during the primary processing of ores, the so-called “roasting”). The first permanent trial plots (PPPs) in this region were established in the early 1970s. Since the second half of the 1990s, the plant has significantly reduced the amount of aerotechnogenic emissions, as evidenced by the data noted by some researchers at that time. The cumulative nature of the accumulation (and release) of polymetallic dust led to the fact that, starting from the time the ore processing plant reduced its capacity, the concentration of metals contained in the soil and plant organs decreased to a certain level. We present the materials obtained in the course of field research in 2015-2018.