Heavy metals in marine aerosols of the AZOV sea

The content of heavy metals and Al in the aerosol matter over the Sea of Azov has been studied. According to the special test the vast majority of samples were attributed to the type of marine aerosol. The ranges of contents were determined as following: Fe (200 – 2000 ng / m3), Al (20 – 200 ng / m3), Zn (10 – 280 ng / m3), Cu (2 – 23 ng / m3), Ni (1 – 16 ng / m3), Pb (3-30 ng / m3), Cd (0.4 –2.8 ng / m3); Mn (3 – 23 ng / m3), Cr (1 – 15 ng / m3). The spatial distribution of HMs in the marine aerosol of the Sea of Azov depends on the influence of the river-sea geochemical barrier zone in the Taganrog Bay and the anthropogenic impact of the coastal industrial cities. HM concentrations decrease from the northern coast of the bay and the mouth of the Don River towards the open sea. The maximum HM content in marine aerosol observed in the mouth area of the Don River. It may be associated with the HM accumulation at the river-sea geochemical barrier, and also with the anthropogenic impact of the cities of Rostov-on-Don, Azov and Taganrog. Anthropogenic impact of the city of Mariupol cause the maximum values of Fe, Cr, and Cd in marine aerosol matter of the western part of the Taganrog Bay. © 2020, Russian Geographical Society. All rights reserved

Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of the use of the vitamin-mineral complex l-carnitine and the complex of acetyl-l-carnitine, l-carnitine fumarate, alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of male infertility

Oxidative stress is a key-factor in male infertility. The use of different substances with antioxidant activity has been studied as meth-ods of treatment of idiopathic forms of male infertility. The effectiveness of only a few of them can be considered as reliable. The aim of the study was a comparative assessment of two drugs — Spermactin Forte and Speroton. The choice was predetermined due to the highest content of L-carnitine in the composition of the preparations compared to other drugs on the Russian pharmaceu-tical market. A multicenter, randomized, comparative double-blind study in 80 men, aged 18 to 45 years. During the visits, the assessment of rou-tine sperm-tests and the fertilizing capacity of sperm was carried out by determining the reactive oxygen species, the level of sperm DNA fragmentation, and the HBA-test. The paper evaluates not only the effectiveness, but also the safety of the study drugs in the treatment of male infertility. © 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved

BIOGEOCHEMICAL SPECIALIZATION OF MACROPHY TESAND THEIR ROLE AS A BIOFILTER IN THE SELENGA DELTA

This study aims to evaluate the biofiltration ability of higher aquatic vegetation of the Selenga delta as a barrier for heavy metals and metalloids (HMM) flows into the Lake Baikal. Main aquatic vegetation species have been collected from deltaic channels and inner lakes: Nuphar pumila, Potamogeton perfoliatus, P. pectinatus, P. natans, P. friesii, Butomus umbellatus, Myriophyllum spicatum, Ceratophyllum demersum, Phragmites australis . Analysis of the obtained data showed that regardless of the place of growth hydatophytes spiked water-milfoil ( M. spicatum ) and the fennel-leaved pondweed ( P. pectinatus ) most actively accumulate metals. Opposite tendencies were found for helophytes reed (Ph. australis) and flowering rush ( B. umbellatus ), which concentrate the least amount of elements. This supports previous findings that the ability to concentrate HMM increases in the series of sur face - floating - submerged plants. Regarding river water, the studied macrophyte species are enriched with Mn and Co, regarding suspended matter - Mo, Mn and B, regarding bottom sediments - Mn, Mo and As. We identified two associations of chemical elements: S-association with the predominant suspended form of migration (Be, V, Co, Ni, W, Pb, Bi, Mn, Fe and Al) and D-association with the predominant dissolved form of migration (B, U, Mo, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sn and Sb). Due to these associations three groups of macrophytes were distinguished - flowering rush and reed with a low HMM content; small yellow pond-lily and common floating pondweed with a moderate accumulation of S-association and weak accumulation of D-association elements; and clasping-leaved pondweed, fennel-leaved pondweed, and pondweed Friesii accumulating elements of both S and D groups. The results suggest that macrophytes retain more than 60% of the total Mn flux that came into the delta, more than 10% - W, As, and from 3 to 10% B, Fe, Co, Mo, Cd, V, Ni, Bi, Be, Cu, Zn, Cr, U, Al. The largest contribution is made by the group of hydatophytes (spiked water-milfoil and pondweed), which account for 74 to 96% of the total mass of substances accumulated by aquatic plants

Biogeochemical specialization of macrophytes and their role as a biofilter in the selenga delta

This study aims to evaluate the biofiltration ability of higher aquatic vegetation of the Selenga delta as a barrier for heavy metals and metalloids (HMM) flows into the Lake Baikal. Main aquatic vegetation species have been collected from deltaic channels and inner lakes: Nuphar pumila, Potamogeton perfoliatus, P. pectinatus, P. natans, P. friesii, Butomus umbellatus, Myriophyllum spicatum, Ceratophyllum demersum, Phragmites australis. Analysis of the obtained data showed that regardless of the place of growth hydatophytes spiked water-milfoil (M. spicatum) and the fennel-leaved pondweed (P. pectinatus) most actively accumulate metals. Opposite tendencies were found for helophytes reed (Ph. australis) and flowering rush (B. umbellatus), which concentrate the least amount of elements. This supports previous findings that the ability to concentrate HMM increases in the series of surface – floating – submerged plants. Regarding river water, the studied macrophyte species are enriched with Mn and Co, regarding suspended matter – Mo, Mn and B, regarding bottom sediments – Mn, Mo and As. We identified two associations of chemical elements: S-association with the predominant suspended form of migration (Be, V, Co, Ni, W, Pb, Bi, Mn, Fe and Al) and D-association with the predominant dissolved form of migration (B, U, Mo, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sn and Sb). Due to these associations three groups of macrophytes were distinguished – flowering rush and reed with a low HMM content; small yellow pond-lily and common floating pondweed with a moderate accumulation of S-association and weak accumulation of D-association elements; and clasping-leaved pondweed, fennel-leaved pondweed, and pondweed Friesii accumulating elements of both S and D groups. The results suggest that macrophytes retain more than 60% of the total Mn flux that came into the delta, more than 10% – W, As, and from 3 to 10% B, Fe, Co, Mo, Cd, V, Ni, Bi, Be, Cu, Zn, Cr, U, Al. The largest contribution is made by the group of hydatophytes (spiked water-milfoil and pondweed), which account for 74 to 96% of the total mass of substances accumulated by aquatic plants. © 2019, Lomonosov Moscow State University. All rights reserved

Geochemical Changes in the Caspian Salt Marshes Due to the Sea Level Fluctuations

The Caspian Sea is subject to alternating transgressions and regressions that exert a strong impact on the topography, sediments, vegetation, and soils in coastal zones. The last transgression of the Caspian Sea (1978-1995) caused the development of a marsh-lagoon system along the accumulative seashore of the Central Dagestan. Salt marshes are complex and dynamic systems highly vulnerable to sea level fluctuations; therefore, they may be considered as a regional model of rapid environmental changes. Hazards in coastal zones may critically change the soil geochemistry affecting agricultural potential of large areas. Assessments of risks of the natural hazards in coastal zones are extremely difficult unless the end-to-end understanding of all natural factors. The research in the Caspian region shows the impact of extreme events in the coastal zones. Detailed landscape-geochemical investigations of the Caspian salt marshes were carried out in 1995-1996 (during the final stage of the transgression period) and in 2001-2003 (during the period of the sea level stabilization). These coastal areas are influenced by different landscape-geochemical processes, such as sulfidization, gleyzation, ferrugination, humus accumulation, halogenesis, and changes of alkali-acidic conditions. The development of the processes characterizes different stages of the Caspian Sea level fluctuations. This paper presents a discussion on stages and rates of landscape-geochemical processes, formation of geochemical barriers, and trace elements distribution in soils of the salt marshes.Geoscience & EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience