Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2025 number 1

For the first time in Volgograd oblast, the material composition and pollution level of the bottom sediments in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain eriks were studied. The study yielded data on the chemical composition of the bottom sediments. The results show that common priority pollutants, such as mercury, cadmium, nickel and zinc, are found in the Dudak, Dudachenok and Peschany water bodies. Pesticides were not detected in the bottom sediment samples; their amount was less than 0,01 mg/kg. The bottom sediment collected from the Peschany erik was characterized by increased mercury (0,75 mg/kg) and cadmium (2,12 mg/kg) content, while those from the Dudak and Dudachenok eriks were characterized by increased cadmium (1,0 and 1,5 mg/kg) and zinc (145,0 and 147,0 mg/kg, respectively) content. There are no maximum permissible concentrations for bottom sediments, the level of their pollution was determined in accordance with the standards and criteria for assessing the pollution of bottom sediments in water bodies, as well as in comparison with the background concentrations of heavy metals in the bottom sediments of the upper Volga water bodies and the pollution indicators of the bottom sediments of the lower Volga. The obtained data allow us to conclude that the bottom sediments of the Dudak and Dudachenok eriks can be characterized as heavily polluted, and those of the Peschany erik - as moderately polluted. The analysis of the digital radiograph showed that the sorption capacity of the bottom sediments depends on their granulometric composition. Organic matter acts as a sorbate, which accumulates various pollutants.