GEOECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE MODERN ZINC CONTENT IN THE SOIL COVER OF THE URBANIZED TERRITORIES OF THE SOUTH OF RUSSIA

Abstract

Anthropogenic and technogenic processes in the urban environment significantly change the chemical composition of the soil cover. One of such processes influencing the state of the urban soil is the process of soil cover pollution with heavy metals. Heavy metals are biochemically active and highly toxic; they are found in various components of the natural environment, as well as in systems of anthropogenic and technogenic origin. They have the property of accumulation in the body of living beings and have a negative effect on their condition. This group of chemical elements includes lead, zinc, chromium, mercury, copper, iron and other metals. Exceeding the permissible concentration of heavy metals in the soil of an urbanized area and their toxic effects pose a significant danger to humans. Contamination of the soil cover of an urbanized area with heavy metals is associated with the impact of a large number of sources of anthropogenic and technogenic origin, namely, energy and industrial facilities, city infrastructure support systems, zones of construction activities and storage of materials or waste. One of the main highly toxic chemical pollutants of the soil cover of the urbanized territory belonging to the group of heavy metals is zinc «Zincum-Zn». The article describes the results of a 2020 study of the current zinc content in the soil cover of the city of Astrakhan. The relevance of the work lies in the geochemical analysis of the content of heavy metals in the soil of the city of Astrakhan. The aim of the work was to study the modern process of soil contamination of the city of Astrakhan with zinc. The work was based on the task of determining the degree of exceeding the hygienic standards of the maximum permissible concentration of zinc in soil samples. Methods of geographical and ecological research were used in the work, soil samples were collected, followed by determination of the concentration of a substance in each of the soil samples in a certified laboratory. In the course of the work, the indicators of exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of zinc in the soil of the city of Astrakhan were determined and the presumptive sources of pollution were identified.