Environmental Aspects of Historical Ferromanganese Tailings in the Šibenik Bay, Croatia

The former manganese ferroalloy plant and the remaining tailings are affecting the quality of the environment in Šibenik Bay, Croatia, even though industrial activities ceased more than 25 years ago. This study has revealed that the main manganese mineral phases present in the recently collected tailings, as well as in the dust collected on the roof of the plant during the production period, are bustamite and Mn-oxides. The same type of Mn mineral phases was also found in recently collected sediments from Šibenik Bay. Detailed chemical and phase analyses (XRD, BCR sequential analysis, aqua regia and lithium borate fusion) of the dust sample revealed high manganese values (24.1%), while granulometric analysis showed that 50% of the particles are smaller than PM2.5. The influence of the tailings is visible in the sediment, but the concentrations of the potentially toxic elements determined by the sequential BCR analysis are within the legal limits. Some higher values (20.3 g/kg Mn, 595 mg/kg Pb and 494 mg/kg Zn) are detected in the tailings, which are still exposed to weathering and as such should be additionally monitored. On the other hand, this material contains a considerable number of elements that could be considered lucrative (∑ REE up to 700 mg/kg, Mn up to 23 g/kg, Fe up to 37 g/kg and Al up to 25 g/kg), opening the possibility of reuse and recovery.

Research of fungal diseases of herbaceous plants exposed from Aksu Ferroalloy Plant

Main problem: Technogenic "metamorphosis" of vegetation near such large industrial facilities as Pavlodar is considered to be the result of various active chemical and mechanical factors provoked by economic activities associated with the influence of emissions from industrial companies. The effect of anthropogenic impacts on vegetation in all regions of Kazakhstan varies and is largely dependent on the economic development of the territory, but in any case, the end result of this impact is the change in the vegetation, causing violations of with structure, reduced vodorazdelnaya flora and productivity of communities. This, in turn, can cause infection of herbaceous plants with pathogenic fungi, which then carry with them: a decrease in the intensity of plant growth, a deterioration in their decorative qualities, a decrease in the survival of the biological species. Purpose: to study the types of fungi-pathogens of phytopathogenic diseases and to determine the degree of modification of the plant component, which is under intense negative technogenic influence from the Aksu Ferroalloy Plant (AFР). Мethods: For the experimental study, species of plants such as: Artemisia dracunculus L; Artemesia vulgaris L; Atriplex fera L; Atriplex patula L; Artemisia annua L were selected for the content of fungi- pathogens of phytopathogenic diseases. Results and their significance: This experimental study was aimed at the presence of fungi-pathogens of herbaceous plants as a result of human impact, occurring near the industrial zone "AFР". The composition of fungi-pathogens of herbaceous plants collected in this industrial zone was considered and studied. According to the results of an experimental laboratory study, phytopathogenic fungi of herbaceous plants belonging to 1 ordo, 1 familia, and 4 species were found.

Dynamics of Chlorine Content in Leaves of Woody Plants of Protection Forest Bands in the City of Zaporizhzhya

As a result of the activity of industrial enterprises, atmospheric air is being contaminated by gaseous pollutants. Such substances as chlorine and hydrogen chloride are considered to be harmful for both humans and plants. Vegetation is a universal filter that is able to combat the environmental pollution by industrial emissions with the help of appropriate technical facilities. The aim of this study is to analyze the level of accumulation of chlorine in the leaves of woody plants that grow in the area of forest plantations of sanitary protection zones of industrial enterprises. The objects of the study were the species of woody plants in the area of protective plantations of a number of enterprises in Zaporizhzhya: ZTMC, ZALК, ZABR, Zaporizhstal, Zaporizhzhya Ferroalloy Plant, Zaporizhvohnetryv, Ukrgrafit and Zaporizhtransformator. We established that during the vegetation period, a gradual accumulation of the element was the most intense in mature leaves, whose growth had already ceased. The maximum amount of chlorine was found at the end of the vegetation period. The concentration of the pollutant in leaves of woody plants in the area of sanitary protection zones of industrial enterprises is linearly proportional to the level of emissions of the pollutant into the atmosphere by a given enterprise. The largest coefficient of relative accumulation of chlorine in the leaves of such plants as Catalpa bignonioides, Acer negundo, Robinia pseudoacacia, Juglans regia, Populus alba, which can be used as information sites for the purpose of bioindication of atmospheric air pollution with chlorides, was established.

The accumulation of fluoride by leaves of woody plants growing in the area of sanitary protection zones in the industrial region of Zaporizhzhya

Vegetation serves as a universal filter that is capable of protecting the environment from pollution by industrial emissions given the availability of appropriate technical facilities. The aim of this study is to determine the ability of leaves of various species of woody plants growing in the area of sanitary protection zones to accumulate fluorine and to establish the most informative indicators of environmental pollution by its compounds. The object of the study was the species of woody plants growing in the area of protective plantations of a number of enterprises of Zaporizhzhya: Zaporizhzhya Titanium & Magnesium Combine, Zaporizhzhya Aluminium Plant PJSC, Zaporizhzhya Abrasive Plant PJSC, Zaporizhstal PJSC, ‘Zaporizhcoke’ PJSC (KOKS), Zaporizhzhya Ferroalloy Plant PJSC, Zaporizhvohnetryv (‘Vohnetryv’) PJSC, PrJSC ‘Ukrgrafit’ and Zaporizhtransformator PJSC. Under the conditions of sanitary protection zones of enterprises the leaves of woody plants accumulate significantly more fluoride compared to the control specimens. We have established that a gradual accumulation of the element occurs during the vegetation period being the most intense in young leaves. In senescent leaves, the activity of its accumulation begins to diminish. The maximum amount of fluoride was detected by us at the end of the vegetation period. Its highest concentration was found in the leaves of woody plants growing in the forest belt near the Zaporizhzhya Aluminium Plant. According to the level of accumulation of the said phytotoxicant in the leaves of plants growing in the area of sanitary protection zones, industrial enterprises of Zaporizhzhya may be ranked as follows: Zaporizhzhya Aluminium Plant PJSC > Zaporizhzhya Ferroalloy Plant PJSC ≥ ‘Zaporizhcoke’ PJSC > Zaporizhstal PJSC > Zaporizhvohnetryv (‘Vohnetryv’) PJSC > ‘Ukrgrafit’ PJSC> Zaporizhzhya Abrasive Plant PJSC > Zaporizhzhya Titanium & Magnesium Combine > Zaporizhtransformator PJSC. The largest amount of fluorine accumulated by the leaves can be attributed to such tree species as: Catalpa bignonioides, Ailanthus altissima, Acer platanoides, Populus nigra, Armeniaca vulgaris, Tilia cordata, Acer pseudoplatanus, Platanus orientalis, which is a distinguishing characteristic of the sanitary protection zones of various enterprises in the city of Zaporizhzhya. Variations of fluorine accumulation in different experimental plots for the same species of woody plants are expressed in quantitative terms. These plants are capable of being the most efficient at purifying the atmospheric air from gaseous fluoride compounds. The highest coefficient of relative accumulation of fluorine in the leaves is found in the following species of woody plants: Catalpa bignonioides, Ailan-thus altissima, Acer platanoides, Populus nigra, Armeniaca vulgaris, Tilia cordata, Acer pseudoplatanus, Platanus orientalis, thus they have a potential to be considered for use as phytoindicators of environmental pollution by the fluorine compounds. The aforementioned coefficient appears to be the lowest in the following species: Morus alba, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Juglans regia and Fraxinus lanceolata.

The content of water-soluble phenolic compounds in the leaves of woody plants growing in the area of sanitary protection zones of enterprises of the industrial region of Zaporizhzhya

The article presents the results of studying the accumulation of water-soluble phenolic compounds in the leaves of woody plants growing in the area of sanitary protection zones of a number of enterprises of Zaporizhzhya: Zaporizhzhya Titanium & Magnesium Combine, Zaporizhzhya Aluminium Plant, Zaporizhzhya Abrasive Plant, Zaporizhstal, Zaporizhcoke, Zaporizhzhya Ferroalloy Plant, Zaporizhvohnetryv, Ukrgrafit and Zaporizhtransformator. The concentration of phenolic compounds was found to be significantly higher under the technogenic conditions compared to the relatively "clean" area. Their highest concentration was found in the leaves of woody plants growing in the forest belt near the Zaporizhcoke plant. For the level of accumulation in the organs of assimilation of trees, and thereby for the degree of air pollution by the phenolic compounds, enterprises can be ranked as follows: Zaporizhcoke > Zaporizhstal ≥ Zaporizhzhya Ferroalloy Plant > Zaporizhvohnetryv > Ukrgrafit > Zaporizhzhya Aluminium Plant > Zaporizhzhya Titanium & Magnesium Combine > Zaporizhzhya Abrasive Plant > Zaporizhtransformator. Depending on the level of accumulation of phenolic compounds in the leaves, the plants have been divided into three groups. The largest amount of the pollutant, compared to the other species of woody plants, is being accumulated by the leaves of the following species: Ailanthus altissima, Betula pendula, Juglans regia, Populus alba, Populus nigra, Populus piramidalis, Populus simonii, Elaeagnus angustifolia, and the least amount – by Morus alba, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia cordata, Ulmus carpinifolia, Armeniaca vulgaris, Fraxinus lanceolata. The following species occupy the intermediate position between the two groups: Acer negundo, Acer platanoides, Aesculus hippocastanum, Catalpa bignonioides, Salix alba, Ulmus laevis. The tree species that can be characterized by their capacity to accumulate the highest concentration of water-soluble phenolic compounds may be recommended for the purpose of purification of atmospheric air. The following plant species, which turned to be the most sensitive indicators of air pollution, have been listed in a descending order according to the value of the coefficient of relative accumulation of phenolic compounds. Such species include Betula pendula, Catalpa bignonioides, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Ailanthus altissima, Populus simonii, Acer negundo, Ulmus laevis and Fraxinus lanceolata.

A high-strength binder based on liquid glass for cementless polystyrene concrete

This research set out to obtain a high-strength binder based on low-energy liquid glass using silica fume produced in the Bratsk Ferroalloy Plant. The starting materials used for the development of polystyrene concrete were liquid glass obtained from silica fume using sol-gel technology, fly ash, screening from diabase crushing, ground channel quartz sand and foamed polystyrene granules. Math-ematical processing of the results was performed using the Statistica 10 software package in the mod-ule of planned experiment. According to the conducted analysis, the resulting material corresponds to the strength characteristics of concrete classes B1–B3 with an average density of 400–600 kg/m3. In comparison with polystyrene concrete based on cement, foamed polystyrene concrete based on the developed complex binder has half the shrinkage strain. This can be explained by the reduced water-absorbing capacity and hydraulic activity of the hardened binder, which ensures the stability of the block sizes during long-term operation. The results of determining the thermal conductivity show the effec-tiveness of polystyrene concrete as a heat insulator. Based on the optimized composition of the binder die, filled light concretes were obtained using foamed polystyrene boulder from recycled packaging ma-terials. Effective heat-insulating and heat-insulating structural concretes of D400–D600 density grades characterized byan increased stability of geometric dimensions were obtained.

Nature Conservation Technology for Producing Slag-Foam Glass as a Structural and Thermal Insulating Material

The purpose of the research is to determine the starting material composition, the conditions for its heat treatment and operation, and also the development of the recommendations on the technology of manufacturing and use of slag-foam glass as a structural and thermal insulation material for low-rise construction. Research and development of the composition and technology of ferrosilicate dust - a secondary product of the Novokuznetsk ferroalloy plant and Kemerovo chemical enterprises - slag-foam glass production, were carried out taking intoaccount the need for recycling of waste generated during the production process. The liquid sodium glass production waste is a mixture offerrosilicate dust that is not completely exhausted in the reactors and anaqueous Na2OSiO2 solution. Its density varies from 1.2 g/cm3 to 1.5 g/cm3, and the binding properties are extremely unstable, they depend on the soluble glass and water ratio in the waste. The use of this material as the basis for the production of structural and thermal insulating slag-foamglass with the stable strength index, the average density and the long-term durability is quite relevant.