Specific responses of plants and animals to changes in the contents of microelements (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Se, etc.) in abiotic environmental components of the Ardon River Basin (North Ossetia) were studied by new biogeochemical indication methods. In comparison to background areas, a local increase in the Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, and As contents in soils and organisms occurs under the impact of natural and technogenic factors. The heavy metal contents in Ardon River water are generally within hygienic norms. Activation of sulfurcontaining synthesis in the leaves of willow, sea buckthorn, and coltsfoot was revealed for the maximum heavy metal content in soils. On plots adjacent to the Unal tailing dump, the contents of pigments and their proportions in leaves of coltsfoot, dandelion, and willow do not differ from those in less contaminated areas. On technogenic plots, the species richness of plants decreases, as well as the mowed biomass and projective cover of herbaceous plants (to 40%); inhibition of plant growth, chlorosis, necrosis, and lamina deformation are observed. A new metallophyte species (Cladochaeta candidissima M. Bieb.) was revealed. The increase in lead and arsenic contents in soils and plants of the Ardon floodplain is accompanied by an increase in their concentrations in the blood and hair of animals.

Ecological–biogeochemical monitoring of a linden avenue on Kosygin Street, Moscow, has revealed that soils at sites regarded as contaminated contain elevated Mn, Fe, Sr, and Se concentrations and lower Zn contents. Linden leaves at the assumed contaminated sites typically contain higher Cu and Fe concentrations and not as much higher Zn, As, and Cr concentrations but much lower Mn and Sr concentrations. Water leachates of soils at sites regarded as background have slightly lower pH and lower Ca, Mg, K, and Na concentrations and total mineralization. Test for phytochelatins in the leaves proved to be rather ineffective, as also were estimates of the fluctuating asymmetry of the leaf laminas. The greatest differences were detected in the degree of leaf pathology and the contents of pigments.

The paper reports data on the specific accumulation of heavy metals by various species of willow (Salix caprea, S. fragili, and S. schwerinii) and other plants of the genus Salix within landscapes with ore anomalies and at background territories: in the area of the Ardon River in North Ossetia, Transbaikalia, and Kamchatka. All willow species can accumulate high concentrations of Cd and sometimes also Zn, and this can serve as a prospecting guide for base-metal and anthropogenic anomalies and be utilized when phytoremediation technologies are developed. The leaves of willow S. caprea that grows in areas contaminated with heavy metals are proved to actively synthesize certain sulfur-bearing phytochelatines.

Drinkable waters in Bryansk oblast are generally poor in I and Se. Possible I and Se speciation in the drinkable waters and their means of migration and concentration in soils at geochemically contrasting conditions are analyzed, and the possible reason for the high mobility of I is demonstrated to be predetermined not only by its occurrence in the form of iodide and organic complexes but also by solute mineral species (CaI+ and MgI+), with the former and the latter types of the complexes spread more widely in the polessky and opolny landscape types, respectively. Iodine complexation with alkali-earth cations under reduced neutral-weakly alkaline conditions facilitates, on the one hand, vertical iodine migration and, on the other hand, its precipitation on the carbonate barrier. The predominant solute species of Se in these environments is hydroselenide, which can form FeSe in the presence of significant Fe concentrations and be precipitated on the reduced barrier in soils of hydromorphic landscapes. The generally low total I and Se concentrations in the drinkable waters and the migration of solute compounds of radioactive I in the form of organic and inorganic complexes could likely result in a higher thyroid morbidity rate over the whole territory of Bryansk oblast, including areas contaminated with radioactive I isotopes after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Показано, что питьевые воды Брянской области, в целом, обеднены йодом и селеном. Рассмотрены возможные формы нахождения йода и селена в питьевых водах и особенности их миграции и концентрирования в почвах в геохимически контрастных условиях. Показано, что высокая подвижность йода может обуславливаться миграцией не только в форме йодида и органических комплексов, но и в виде минеральных растворенных в воде комплексных форм (CaI+ и MgI+); при этом первый тип комплексных соединений более распространен в ландшафтах полесского типа, а второй – в условиях опольных ландшафтов. В почвах комплексообразование йода с щелочноземельными катионами в восстановительных нейтрально-слабощелочных условиях с одной стороны, способствует миграции йода по вертикальному профилю, а с другой стороны, осаждению йода на карбонатном барьере. В тех же условиях доминирующей водорастворимой формой селена является гидроселенид, который в присутствии значительного количества железа может трансформироваться в минеральную фазу FeSe и фиксироваться на восстановительном барьере в почвах подчиненных гидроморфных ландшафтов. Высказано предположение, что общее низкое содержание йода и селена в питьевых водах и водная миграция радиоактивных изотопов йода в виде комплексных органических и минеральных соединений могло способствовать более выраженной заболеваемости щитовидной железы на всей территории Брянской области, в том числе и загрязненной после аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС радиоактивными изотопами йода.

Introduction We have determined some trace elements content levels in soils, aquatic plants and/or animals (namely, in cattle blood & hair samples) in the conditions of some open cast deposits or background territories of the North Caucasus and Transbaikalia [Ermakov, Soboleeva, 2008; Ermakov et al., 2011]. The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of accumulation of copper and molybdenum in animals on a background of different content of tungsten in the environment and feed and the possible inclusion of tungsten in the xanthine-oxidase of milk cows. Methods The field studies were conducted in summer, 2011 in the mining landscapes of tungsten & molybdenum deposits of Tyrnyauz, and in background areas of the North Caucasus through rocks, soil, waters, plants and/or animal sample selection. Determination of copper or molybdenum levels in most of the samples was measured by atomic absorption method using standard processes. The content of tungsten was determined by means of ICP-mass-spectrometry. The technique accuracy levels were checked using soil, plants or hair standard samples. Results It was established the enrichment the enrichment of soil-forming rocks by trace elements (Cu, Mo, W) in the Tyrnyauz area. The content of this elements here is higher the order, than in rocks of Chegem valley (background area). In water of Boksan-river and its inflows Zn concentration 1.5–7 times higher in comparison with Chegem-river waters. On some river-sites Мо, Pb, Ni and As concentrations are increased. It was discovered that soils of Baksan-river valley are significantly enriched with Мо и W (the enrichment coefficient (EC) 44–85 and 35–100, respectively), that is connected with displays of corresponding ore mineralization (Table 1).

Introduction. A study of iodine and selenium in landscapes of the Bryansk region was started to estimate contribution of the natural background of these elements essential for thyroid gland [Arthur et al., 1999; Ermakov, 2004], to spatial distribution of thyroid diseases after contamination of the area by the Chernobyl radioiodine isotopes. The Bryansk region is noted for a variety of the soil-forming rocks and soils [Prosyannikov, 2002], a pronounced deficiency of iodine in local diets [Proshin, Doroshchenko, 2005] which contributed to the risk of thyroid cancer in the region contaminated due to the Chernobyl accident [Shakhtarin et al., 2003]. At the same time an increase of the thyroid cancer in areas with different radiogenic load is comparable that could be a result of different reaction to radioiodine impact due to variation of stable iodine and selenium background. The main objective of experimental work presented in this paper was to evaluate natural variation of selenium and iodine concentration in the components of the local food chain noted for I and Se sink (the soils) and transfer (drinking waters, plants). Study region and methods Selection of the test sites and sampling. Landscapes and soils of the Bryansk region are characterized by different geochemical features. Figure 1 presents a schematic map of landscapes different in soil and vegetation cover and in the dominating pH-Eh types of water migration according to Perelman (1975).