Scientific projects

The aim is to create an expert system, a specialized software packagefor the optimal selection of technologies of recovery (remediation) of the geological environment of oil-polluted areas. In practice this is difficult due to the lack of time, information and high-quality pollution models. The expert system is created to eliminate these problems. During the project, the architecture of the expert system was formed, the terminology was agreed upon, the most appropriate pollution models were validated.

Project partners:

• Ecology Scientific Production Center (Republic of Belarus),
• Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology (Republic of Kazakhstan),
• People’s Friendship University of Russia (Russian Federation).

Superorganisms (populations and biocenoses) are the main research subjects. The following aspects are studied: their structure and functioning; biocommunication as a means of integration of populations of different animal species; geographic variability as a result of genetic-automatic processes in isolated populations or populations on the outskirts of ranges of species – primarily, the geographical variability of sound signals of mammals; taxonomy of mammals; the ways of flora and fauna protection – above all, at the highest – ecosystem –level, which is possible due to the organization of the system of specially protected natural areas.

This is a project implemented in cooperation with the International Association of Hydrogeologists, IAH.

The project result is a series of maps used to predict technogenic changes in the underground hydrosphere of Asia, assess its state, determine the permissible levels of load on the underground hydrosphere:

• Groundwater serial maps of Asia. Hydrogeological map. Groundwater map. Geothermal map. Explanation (Sinomaps Press, Beijing, 2012. 55 p.)
• Groundwater serial maps of Asia. Geothermal map (Sinomaps Press, 2012).
• Groundwater serial maps of Asia. Hydrogeological map (Sinomaps Press, 2012)
• Groundwater serial maps of Asia. Groundwater map (Sinomaps Press, 2012)

This is a set of projects to assess the impact of economic activities of facilities on the environment, develop environmental regulations and standards, educational projects.

The main results:

• Assessment of the impact of oil and gas facilities on the environment (more than 20 facilities).
• Standardization of waste generation during oil and gas production.
• Standardization of soil and underground hydrospherecontamination.
• Recommendations for the elimination of oil spills (R Gazprom standard).
• Regulations on environmental management (R Gazpromstandards).
• System of criteria and indicators of efficiency of environmental services (R Gazprom standard).

The aim of the project is to identify mechanisms and processes of evolution of ecological and geochemical systems of the Crimean mineral springs (Kerch Peninsula).

Research objectives:

• to identify the types of water inflows (sources) in the area of lakes ​​Chokrakand Tobechik, selection of analysis objects, determination of boundaries of geochemical systems;
• to analyze the mechanisms for the formation of geochemical barriers in thearea of influence of various types of sources (mud volcanoes), depending on their chemical composition and conditions of discharges to the ground surface;
• to ensure the identification and analysis of concentrations of marker compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in media (water, soil, silt, vegetation).
• to develop models of the formation of geochemical barriers and the behavior of marker connections on them, based on estimates of coefficients of transition in various media and entropy of processes.

The obtained results make it possible to determine the geochemical characteristics of a number ofenvironmental media in the study area, which contributes to the development of geochemical research on various regions of the world. The area can be considered as background when developing models of pollution of man-made territories. The results of the study should be used to develop a scheme of monitoring of a unique natural balneologicalobject – Chokrak lake. This is of particular importance due to the environmental status of the territory and the prospects for using resources for the economic development of the region.

The technology implies thespecial short-term pre-processing of active sludge for feedstocksterilization, inactivation of toxic substances and antibiotics. The structure of the sterile substrate obtained, which retained the original valuable components (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, micro-macroelements), ensures the vital activity of soil and plant microorganisms.

Effects:

• obtaining environmentally friendly organic granulated biofertilizer for recultivation of lifeless rock dumps, tailings,damaged landscapes – both dense rocks and loose soils;
• increased soil fertility due to the creation of microbiocenosisin soils that can develop under extreme conditions and ensure high yields.

Development of methods and technologies for conducting a safe ecological analysis of reagents of organic objects of petroleum genesis at a nanoscale (solid paraffins, asphaltenes, bitumen, fuel oil) and nanotechnologies for their chemical destruction under combined physical effects.

Calculations of the dynamics of the biosphere for various regions of the world under the influence of industrial emissions, deforestation and soil erosion were made based on the spatial model of the global carbon cycle of the Computing Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The impact of global climate change on the ecosystem functions of plant ecosystems was analyzed. Ecologists of RUDN University assessed the impact of industrial CO2 emissions, as well as deforestation and soil erosion, on the dynamics of carbon accumulation in humus and phytomass of forest ecosystems. Compensatory functions of forest communities were assessed and compared. Results of the calculations made it possible to identify a number of patterns that occur in the terrestrial ecosystems of the world under the influence of CO2 emissions, deforestation and soil erosion in case of improper land use.

The quantitative forecast of the dynamics of ecosystem characteristics of plant communities depending on the region of growth was made. The results can be used to determine a criterion of biosphere resistance of ecosystems of these countries to the anthropogenic impact with the growing carbon dioxide concentration and global warming, while studying the dependence of the zones of forest degradation on climate. It is possible to fulfill a number of environmental practice tasks, for example: forecasting the direction and speed of forest restoration withthe removed anthropogenic load; mapping potential damage to forests, calculating biological damage to forest biogeocenosis, as well as implementing a concept of "avoided deforestation".