Environmental Challenges in Regions: Analysis and Measures to Reduce Potential Risks

Тенденция ухудшения экологической ситуации в России требует выявления и анализа основных современных вызовов в экологической сфере страны и ее отдельных регионов, а также поиска путей их преодоления. Особое значение это имеет для ресурсных регионов нового хозяйственного освоения, одним из которых является Нижнее Приангарье в Красноярском крае. Методология исследования основана на увязке экологических проблем с характером социально-экономических условий отдельной территории. В ходе исследования использован метод экономико-математического моделирования на основе разработанных автором моделей оптимизации природоохранных мероприятий. Сделана попытка объединить полученные результаты для комплексного анализа предположительной экологической ситуации, которая может сложиться в регионе. На основе такого анализа получено, что причинами экологических вызовов могут стать: 1) значительные масштабы намечаемого производства на отдельных объектах; в частности, расчеты показали, что в условиях Нижнеангарского региона оптимальный с экологических позиций размер единичных мощностей ЦБК не должен превышать 300-350 тыс. т (вместо намечаемых 720 тыс. т), а алюминиевого завода - 200-250 тыс. т (вместо 600 тыс. т); 2) чрезмерная концентрация производства в отдельных ареалах (прежде всего в Богучанском и Кодинском промузлах) с соответствующим ростом нагрузки на окружающую среду; 3) сложность решения проблем борьбы с загрязнением из-за уникальности производственных мощностей ряда объектов и необходимости создания для них уникальных систем очистки; 4) эффекты синергизма и аддитивности взаимодействия загрязняющих веществ; 5) фактические и потенциальные негативные последствия сооружения ГЭС на реках Ангара и Енисей. Полученные результаты могут применяться для обоснования управленческих решений на региональном и местном уровнях власти при разработке стратегии комплексного развития территориальных хозяйственных систем в разрезе прогнозирования природоохранной деятельности.The environmental deterioration in Russia requires the identification and analysis of the main challenges facing the country and its individual regions in this sphere. Additionally, it is necessary to find ways to overcome these problems. The issue is particularly relevant for resource regions where new economic activities develop. the Lower Angara region in Krasnoyarsk krai is one of such regions. The study considers the environmental problems in connection with the socio-economic conditions of a particular territory. I used the method of economic and mathematical modelling based on the author’s models for optimising environmental protection measures. The research combines the obtained results to built a comprehensive model of the future ecological situation that may develop in the region. The analysis discovered various causes of environmental challenges. The first reason is planning exxessive output at individual facilities. In particular, calculations have shown that in the conditions of the Lower Angara region, the unit capacity of the pulp and paper industry should not exceed 300-350 thousand tonnes (instead of the planned 720 thousand tonnes); the capacity of the aluminum plant should not exceed 200-250 thousand tonnes (instead of 600 thousand tonnes). Second, an excessive concentration of production in certain areas (primarily, in Boguchansky and Kodinsky industrial hubs) increases the environmental burden. Third, pollution control is complicated by unique production capacities of various facilities that require special purification systems. The fourth reason is the effects of synergism and additivity of contaminants. The fifth cause is the actual and potential negative consequences of the construction of hydropower plants on the Angara and Yenisei rivers. The results of this research can be used for creating a strategy for the integrated development of territorial economic systems to organise environmental protection activities and substantiate management decisions at the regional and local levels of governance.Исследование выполнено по плану научно-исследовательских работ ИЭОПП СО РАН в рамках Проекта «Региональное и муниципальное стратегическое планирование и управление в контексте модернизации государственной региональной политики и развития цифровой экономики».The article was prepared in accordance with the research and development plan of the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Siberian Branch of RAS “Regional and municipal strategic planning and management in the context of the modernization of state regional policy and development of the digital economy»

Towards Controlling the Morphology of Cobalt Loaded Nanocomposites in Polyol Process with Polyethylene Glycol

The effect of Mn+/OHPEG molar ratio on the formation of cobalt loaded metal-polymer nanocomposites during a onepot two-component polyol process by polyethylene glycol with Mr = 4000 g·mol–1 (PEG) was studied.Controlling the size and structure of Co/PEG composite particles allows maintaining their biocompatibility.Composites Co/PEG containing only cobalt oxides (CoO or Co3O4) and having dimensions above 5 nm are hemocompatible. The hemolytic activity of HC50 can reach 6.12 g·ml–1.Received: 22.11.23. Revised: 29.11.23. Accepted: 29.11.23. Available online: 07.12.23.The polyol process is one of the simple, efficient and productive methods for the synthesis of metal loaded polymer composites. Functional properties of metal-polymer nanocomposites are determined by chemical composition, size and morphology of their particles. Finding effective ways to control the nanoparticle's properties during the polyol process is a crucial task. The effect of molar ratio Mn+/OHPEG on the formation of cobalt loaded metal-polymer nanocomposites during a one-pot two-component polyol process by polyethylene glycol with Mr = 4000 g·mol–1 (PEG) was studied. The PEG-based polyol process and the formation of cobalt nanophase were studied at molar ratios νCo2+/νOH(PEG) = 1:1, 1:10, 1:100 and 1:500 using UVVis, diffuse reflectance IR and ATR FT-IR spectroscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found that PEG can act as a reducing agent and stabilizing matrix for the cobalt nanophase at a ratio higher than Mn+/OHPEG = 1:10. The composition and morphology of Co/PEG nanocomposites were determined by XRD and TEM methods. Two types of spheroid particles with average diameters of 88±55 nm / 8±4 nm and 12±3 nm / 3±1 nm, respectively, represent Co/PEG nanocomposites 1:500 and 1:100. Scaly structures with a diameter of 15±5 nm are formed at a molar ratio of νCo2+/νOH(PEG) = 1:10. An increase in the Co2+ content in the PEG-based polyol process leads to the immobilized cobalt nanophase Co3O4 (1:500), Co0/CoO (1:100), CoO (1:10) in PEG. Co/PEG nanocomposites are hemocompatible. The HC50 value depends on the composition and morphology of the nanoparticles.The study was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation No. 22-73-10036. (https://rscf.ru/project/22-73-10036/).This study was supported by the Kazan Federal University Strategic Academic Leadership Program («PRIORITY-2030»). Microscopy studies were carried out at the Inter-disciplinary Centre of Analytical Microscopy of Kazan Fed-eral University

Environmental Expertise: Opportunities, Problems, Solutions

The implementation of any business project should be preceded by activities to predict its possible impact on the environment and to obtain environmental acceptability assessments for the implementation of the corresponding project. Ecological expertise is aimed at solving these important tasks. State environmental review is the legal form of preventive environmental control; carried out with the aim of verifying the compliance of economic and other activities with environmental safety requirements; It is carried out on the principles of mandatory conduct, scientific validity and legality of its conclusions and independence, extra-departmental organization and conduct, wide publicity and public participation. The article discusses the purpose of environmental assessments, formulates their basic principles arising from foreign practice of environmental policy in developed countries that have significant experience in the development and effective application of various institutional instruments for environmental regulation, including environmental impact assessments. The article gives an analysis of the establishment of the institute of environmental expertise in Russia, shows the results achieved and the omissions in this area over the past 30 years, reveals the causes and consequences of the minimization of the state environmental review after 2000. Based on the analysis of amendments to the Russian environmental legislation introduced in the last few years concerning the procedure and procedure for conducting environmental assessments, it is shown that these changes did not contribute to the improvement of the current situation. A number of measures have been proposed which are currently ripe for reanimating approaches to state environmental expertise, including the restoration of a system of specially authorized state bodies in the field of environmental protection; strengthening legislation on the institute of environmental impact assessment; streamlining issues of their financing, etc.</jats:p