Home – Home – Jornals – Chemistry for Sustainable Development 2017 number 4

Polymeric guanidine derivatives occupy a special place among antimicrobial compounds. Guanidines are well soluble in water, have a wide spectrum of antimicrobial action and durable effects, nontoxic, and also meet modern medical requirements. Due to the high reactivity of guanidine to interact with various functional groups, we manage to carry out a number of new chemical modifications that allow obtaining new biologically active low and high molecular mass compounds. The present paper presents preparation of water-soluble guanidine derivatives of pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose bound between each other with the amine bond. A process for the preparation of guanidine derivatives of pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose consists of the following stages: periodate oxidation of polysaccharides, the condensation reaction of guanidine with oxidized pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose, –C=N bond reduction. The structure and composition of the resulting compounds were studied by IR spectroscopy, X-ray structural and elemental analysis (by nitrogen content). It was determined that the maximum number of guanidine groups in the resulting products was contained during the interaction of dialdehyde derivatives of pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose with guanidine in a 1.0 : 2.3 molar ratio. Antimicrobial activity of resulting guanidine derivatives of pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus faecalis was explored. It was found that bacteriostatic effect began to increase with an increase in the concentration of the obtained compounds. The paper gives acute toxicity studies results on guanidine derivatives of pectin and carboxymethyl cellulose, upon the results of which they can be referred to class IV slightly toxic substances.

The paper studied the effect of conditions of oxidative treatment of comminuted rubber with nitrogen (I) oxide (the so-called ketonization) obtained by mechanical grinding of truck and passenger tires on the main characteristics of the resulting regenerate samples. As established, treatment of comminuted rubber with the initial amount of nitrogen (I) oxide of 2 mol for 1 h or 1 mol for 6 h at the process temperature of 230 °С ensured obtaining the regenerate with the optimum ratio of oligo- and macromolecules containing statistically distributed С=О groups. The reactive oligomeric component formed in the technical synthesis process provides the regenerate with the level of rheological properties required for the use in the content of elastomeric compositions. The presence of functional groups in the oligomer and polymer components of pilot regenerate samples leads to a decrease in the induction period of vulcanisation, which is driven by the acceleration of the formation process of a benzthiazolyl radical arising during decomposition of a vulcanisation accelerator and by the involvement of free sulphur that enters into regenerate composition into the vulcanisation process. The found character of the influence of pilot regenerates on structurisation processes of carbon-chain polymers allows carrying out the optimisation of the content of compositions in which it is planned to use the regenerate, and also adjusting technological modes for vulcanisation of rubber mixtures. As demonstrated in the carried out comparative study of strength-elastic properties of the pilot and industrial regenerate samples, vulcanisates based on trial regenerate samples had high conditional tensile strengths at 200 % elongation. The resulting effect of an increase in strength is reached due to a more homogeneous distribution of the applied load and realisation of orientational phenomena in a low-modulus elastomeric matrix.

The contents of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were assessed in the Lake Baikal pelagic zone. The spatial heterogeneity of the distribution of phthalates in the upper and deep water levels for all basins of Lake Baikal was determined from 0.06 to 3.1 µg/dm³ of DBP and from 0.03 to 1.4 µg/dm³ of DEHP, seasonal variability of the total concentrations of phthalates in the pelagic zone of the lake being up to 10 times. Background stations of the reference section in three lake basins were proposed as reference areas for monitoring, and the average concentrations of phthalates in the upper aqueous layer (5–200 m) were proposed to assess the present content of phthalates in the water of the lake. The contents of DBP and DEHP in Lake Baikal Water over the period 2015–2016 were 0.35–0.89 and 0.06–0.32 µg/dm³, respectively, and do not exceed the MPC for water bodies specified in Russia. A simultaneous change in DBP concentration in the upper water layer of the pelagic zone of the southern lake basin and in its coastal area as pollution indicator was noted. Phthalates were determined by liquid-liquid extraction of analytes into n-hexane, direct analysis of extracts using chromatography-mass spectrometry in selective detection mode (m/z 149 and 153) and measurements by the internal standard method using di-n-octylphthalate-3,4,5,6-d₄ as a surrogate standard. Secondary pollution of water and extracts with laboratory phthalates was regarded as the systematic error that was assessed by the value of reagent blanks and subtracted from analysis results. The total error was assessed using the values of 25 and 20 % for DBP and DEHP, respectively.

The paper studied joint transformations of vacuum gas oils characterised by the group composition with various vegetable oils under catalytic cracking conditions. It was determined that the distribution of target cracking products depended not only on the carbon component of mixed raw materials but also on the fatty acid composition of vegetable oils. The greater was the number of C=C double bonds in the composition of triglycerides of vegetable oil, the more pronounced promoting effect it had for vacuum cracking of gas oil, as established. This was related to the progression of hydrogen transfer reactions. Olefins that act as hydrogen acceptors were formed during cracking of initial glycerides, and paraffins and naphthenes in vacuum gas oils were donors. Herewith, an increase in the contents of mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons was noted in the composition of liquid products. Additionally, it was found that the higher was the content of unsaturated fatty acids in the composition of glycerides of vegetable oils, the higher was the yield of target cracking products (light olefins, gasoline). It was demonstrated that a high content of aromatic hydrocarbons in the composition of vacuum gas oil during the transformation of mixed raw materials resulted in a decrease in the yield of target cracking products with a simultaneous increase in the yield of liquid products and coke. This is related to the fact that aromatic hydrocarbons were poorly subjected to transformations and concentrated in highly-boiling fractions, with the result that an increase in the yields of light and heavy gas oils was observed. Additionally, heavy aromatic hydrocarbons actively took part in condensation reactions with the formation of polyaromatic compounds and coke, as evidenced by the increased formation of coke deposits on catalysts.

The paper carried out X-ray phase analysis of arsenic sludge, whereby the following compounds were detected: (CaSO₄) • 2H₂O, Cu(OH)₂, Ni(OH)₂, Fe(OH)₃, Ca(OH)₂, and Zn(OH)₂. The presence of arsenic (III) as calcium metaarsenite (Ca(AsO₂)₂) was also determined. Options for extraction of non-ferrous metals from multicomponent hydroxide raw materials containing significant amounts of arsenic were considered. Solutions of sulphuric acid, ammonium salts, oxyethylidenediphosphonic (OEDP), ethylenediaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA), alkaline metal tartrates were explored as reagent solvents. The values for the logarithms of the stability constants of copper (II), nickel (II), and calcium (II) complexes with appropriate ligands were presented. According to experimental data, the use of substances that ensure the copper and nickel extraction as complexes while maintaining pH > 5 allows for almost complete elimination of arsenic dissolution. It was experimentally proven that ammoniacal leaching and leaching in solutions of EDTA salts did not lead to arsenic contamination of the filtrate ensuring copper and nickel extraction from sludges. The use of EDTA and its salts also simplified technology and equipment selection for further solution processing. The findings led to the conclusion that the use of EDTA solutions at leaching of sludges of neutralising industrial solutions was promising.

The paper studies low-temperature (77 K) radiolysis of various modifications of silica, such as macroporous glass (MPG) with a pore diameter of 2000 and 1500 Å, regular sodium glass, and fused quartz by the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. Paramagnetic centres in various modifications of SiO₂ may vary significantly, depending on origin, the presence of impurities, treatment conditions, and radiation activation of samples, as demonstrated. Hole centres in oxygen and silicon atoms and electron centres in silicon atoms and alkaline metal ions are the main paramagnetic centres in γ-irradiated SiO₂; their contribution in glasses and quartz is 90–95 and ~70 %, respectively. The number of radical centres in all silicas (H^•, Si^•, >Si^•–H) does not exceed 3–4 %. The radiation yield of atomic hydrogen G_H = 0.02–0.4 per 100 eV. Spectra of НО₂^• radicals and SiO₂^• macroradicals are recorded during heating of irradiated samples in the oxygen atmosphere. According to the data of quantum chemical calculations, the doublet with the splitting α^H = 12.5 mT registered during heating of irradiated MPG and quartz belongs to formyl radicals that are formed from the self-hydrogenation reaction of natural impurities of CO in silicas. The doublet with α^H ≈ 1.0 mT, g = 2.002 is referred to hole centres –Si⁺(OH)H in the surface silicon atoms containing hydroxyl groups and the H atom.

The paper studied some regularities of extraction of dihydroxybenzenes (DHB) using toluene organic solutions of amine and phosphine oxides with the purpose of extraction concentration and determination of trace amounts in aqueous solutions. Distribution coefficients of DHB between toluene solutions of organic oxides and water versus the position of OH group in the molecule and the donor ability of oxides were determined. Pyrocatechin has higher extraction characteristics than resorcin and hydroquinone. The maximum distribution coefficients of DHB were reached, which provided their 95–97 % extraction from aqueous media at 50-fold concentration and single extraction. A method for determination of trace amounts of DHB (10^–7–10^–5 mol/dm³) in water samples with pre-concentration with toluene solutions of trioctylphosphine and trioctylamine oxides (0.5–0.7 mol/dm₃) followed by voltammetric detection in extract with a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) against acetonitrile and a solution of sodium perchlorate in isopropyl alcohol was developed. The current-voltage curves reflecting the kinetics of oxidation of analytes in a disk GCE at voltammetric detection of DHB in the organic phase were obtained. Calibration curve method was used for quantitative voltammetric determination of each isomer in individual solutions or binary mixtures of catechol, resorcin, and hydroquinone, resorcin, and also total DHB (in terms of pyrocatechin) in an extract. The level of reliable determination of DHB concentrations is 0.5–1 MPC; relative error does not exceed 5 %. A method for total determination of DHB, and also each isomer in individual samples or binary mixtures of pyrocatechin and resorcin, and hydroquinone and resorcin is recommended for use in analytical laboratories for monitoring the quality of natural and treated waste water.

The paper studied an opportunity of obtaining bismuth formates from solid basic bismuth nitrate by its interaction with formic acid solutions of different concentrations at process temperatures of (22±1) and (55±2) °С. Interaction products of bismuth oxohydroxonitrate having the composition Bi₆О₄(ОН)₄(NO₃)₆ • H₂O with formic acid solutions were studied by X-ray phase analysis (XPA), thermogravimetry (TG), electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. It was found that solubility isotherms had two branches driven by the formation of bismuth formates with the composition BiOCOOH and Bi(COOH)₃ and proceeded via a maximum at bismuth concentrations in solutions of 31 and 23 g/L at 22 and 55 °C, respectively. An opportunity to obtain bismuth oxide formate was demonstrated through treatment of bismuth (III) formate with water at the mass ratio of water to bismuth formate of 10. Bismuth oxide formate is spherical particles with a size of about 6 µm comprising of smaller crystals, and middle-sized bismuth is needles crystallised as druses with a size of about 100 µm. It was demonstrated that thermal decomposition of basic bismuth formate in air allowed obtaining tetragonal (β) bismuth oxide. It was found that thermal decomposition of a mixture of bismuth oxide formate and oxohydroxynitrate (~50 %) proceeded in several steps, began at 200 °С and completed at 560 °С with the formation of monoclinic (β) bismuth oxide. It was demonstrated that thermal decomposition of a mixture of bismuth oxonitrate/oxoformiate was a promising synthesis method of basic bismuth oxonitrate with the composition Bi₅O₆(NO₃)₂OH or Bi₅O₇NO₃.

The paper examines a facile and efficient method for dehydration of sludge from chemical water treatment of the Surgut Thermal Power Plant using a water-soluble powdered high molecular mass polymer i.e. the sodium salt of carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC), as an additive. The integral mass loss and volume loss of samples vary within 70–80 % for 10–15 days when using this method. The optimum amount of the introduced binder is 3–5 % of the mass of the initial sample to obtain dense smooth shaped samples, as established. The data of morphology, structure, phase composition, and particle size in the initial and final products, and also in waste dehydration process are given. Changes in the waste surface during the interaction with Na-CMC accompanied by the formation of hydroaluminate, hydrosulphoaluminate, and hydrosulphoalumoferrite particles with a size of less than 300 nm were recorded. The particles generate a primary alumoferrite frame of a hardening system of coagulation and crystallization structures, as established in a more detailed study. During dehydration and binding processes, it is suggested to dispose of the dry product in the construction industry as an additive for manufacturing cements, foam blocks, foam concretes, in mortars or producing plasters due to the formation of the space frame of iron (III) and aluminium hydroxides. The presence of small amounts of Na-CMC binder will make a positive contribution since it is introduced to reduce setting time when manufacturing construction materials. The results offer prospects for solving environmental issues related to liberating overfilled sludge pits of the thermal power station.

With this article, we provide an overview of the methods, instruments and initiatives for forest biomass observation at global scale. We focus on the freely available information, provided by both remote and in-situ observations. The advantages and limitation of various space borne methods, including optical, radar (C, L and P band) and LiDAR, as well as respective instruments available on the orbit (MODIS, Proba-V, Landsat, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 , ALOS PALSAR, Envisat ASAR) or expecting (BIOMASS, GEDI, NISAR, SAOCOM-CS) are discussed. We emphasize the role of in-situ methods in the development of a biomass models, providing calibration and validation of remote sensing data. We focus on freely available forest biomass maps, databases and empirical models. We describe the functionality of Biomass.Geo-Wiki.org portal, which provides access to a collection of global and regional biomass maps in full resolution with unified legend and units overplayed with high-resolution imagery. The Forest-Observation-System.net is announced as an international cooperation to establish a global in-situ forest biomass database to support earth observation and to encourage investment in relevant field-based observations and science. Prospects of unmanned aerial vehicles in the forest inventory are briefly discussed.

Reforestation is the main direction of rehabilitation of the degraded lands by the coal industry. The substratum of dumps of the coal industry is characterized by sharp deficiency of elements and the expressed xeromorphy. During more than 40 years on the dumps were created over 15 thousand ha of wood plantings, the agrotechnological and scientific foundation of forest recultivation is laid. Biological features of several tens types are studied, their suitability for the purposes of afforestation of dumps is estimated. Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L., a common sea-buckthorn Hippophaë rhamnoídes L. and a silver birch Betula pendula Tristis appeared certainly suitable, 10 more types are recognized as the perspective. In 1989 and 2005 under the leadership of L. P. Barannik are prepared and approved for application at the regional level of the recommendation about reforestation. Now experiments on selection of types proceed, work on optimization of technologies of forest recultivation taking into account an assessment of the created plantings of the I-II class of age is conducted. The main square of reforestation, about 11 thousand hectares, the scots pine which is capable to grow on the highest classes of site class without decrease in growth processes in the senior age groups borrows. Pure sea-buckthorn plantings are created on the area about 3 thousand hectares, they are used by the population as berry-pickers, the ecological value of a sea-buckthorn consists in fast development of a surface of dumps, unpretentiousness. Joint landings of these two tree species are widely used. The birch hung, along with a birch fluffy, is presented, mainly, in the form of natural renewal. In recent years, in connection with reduction of nurseries on cultivation of seedlings of a pine, the birch began to be used actively at artificial afforestation of dumps, especially in urban areas. The main problems of forest recultivation are: non-selective formation of dumps, unsatisfactory parameters of preparation of sites at a mining stage of recultivation, high density of the created stands, weak formation of the subordinated circles and the slowed-down soil formation, inflammability of the mixed landings of a pine and sea-buckthorn and the small range of the used cultures, absence of due consideration to the above problems

The results of large-scale interdisciplinary ecological and geographical researches (1973-2015 years), environmental gradients, reproductive isolation, genetic and phenotypic differentiation of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations of the dry lands and the adjacent bogs in Western Siberia and the Russian Plain have been generalized. The strong regime gradients of the physical, chemical, and especially hydrothermal factors of the pine populations edafotope on dry lands and adjacent high bogs in the sub-forest-steppe, in the middle and northern taiga (in a less degree) of Western Siberia have been revealed. The stable reproductive isolation of populations on the high bogs and (to a lesser extent) on the transitional bogs from the dry land ones, which is determinated by a later dates of the peat substrate heating, a differences in the phases of pollination-“flowering” (reception) of trees, and its increase in the general direction from the northwest to the southeast of the Russian Plain and the Western Siberia, has been determined. The significant genetic distances Nei (1978) and their gradients (bounds) between the dry land and adjacent bog populations in the south of forest zone (at the local population level), and lower gradients in the northern taiga subzones, as well as in transitional bogs have been found. For the first time the clear boundary between populations of P. sylvestris L. on the dry land and adjacent high bog (in the continuous areal) has been determined as a result of stationary palaeobotanical, ecological, phenological, morphological-anatomical-phenotypic and allozyme studies. An outline of hypothetical-deductive theory of genetic divergence of bog P. sylvestris populations from dry land ones in Holocene under the influence of the disruptive selection and the other factors of microevolution, which is proceed in the conditions of strongly contrasting environment and reproductive isolation has been substantiated through the generalization of research results and literature data.

Natural hybrid zones are of the considerable interest to genetic-evolutionary researches. Natural hybridization is recognized as the mechanism of transfer of genes between types for a long time and has important evolutionary consequences. Trans-species hybridization is characteristic of the sort Populus L., though, as a rule, it is restricted to representatives of one section. The exception is made by types of the section Aigeiros and Tacamahaca , which are rather freely crossed, but at the same time save the integrity and are well differentiated. As show numerous researches, prezygotic mechanisms of reproductive insulation aren’t capable to restrict hybridization between types of these sections, but perhaps define its asymmetry. In hybrid zones in case of transposition of types of different sections among hybrid descendants F₁ prevail. Hybrids of the subsequent generations and a bekkrossa are discarded by selection before a reproductive maturity. Carried out based on the complex analysis of morphological features of leaves and escapes of P. nigra (Aigeiros), P. laurifolia (Tacamahaca) and their natural hybrids in a flood plain of the Tom River (The Kemerovo region of the Russian Federation) of a research also showed that observed hybridization has one-sided, asymmetrical character, hybrids turn aside lavrolistny poplar. Despite duration of the proceeding hybridization in a flood plain of the Tom River P. nigra and P. laurifolia well differ. Natural hybrids meet preferentially on flood plain sections where P. laurifolia grows in an equal share with P. nigra. Perhaps, the frequency of occurrence of hybrids depends also on sexual structure of local populations of pure types. The exception is made by sections with the considerable anthropogenous impact, which can be considered as «hybrid habitats».

The paperis of the scientific area of biogeography and devoted to a new aspect in the study of biological productivity of forest ecosystems on a geographical basis, expressed indirectly by climate parameters, namely, the foliage efficiency that until now is not investigated at the global level. Foliage efficiency is the ratio of net primary production (NPP) to foliage biomass and is expressed in relative units. Some features of change of foliage efficiency of vicarious forest-forming species in Eurasian transcontinental gradients are showed for the first time using the voluminous factual material. The set of published biomass and NPP data (t/ha) obtained in a number of 2192 plots is compiled. Using multiple regression analysis technique, the statistically significant changes in foliage efficiency values according to two transcontinental gradients, namely by zonal belts and continentality of climate, are stated for each forest-forming species. The species-specificity of age dynamics of stem volume and foliage efficiency is shown. It is monotonically decreased almost for all tree species in the following order: spruce and fir, pine, birch, oak, larch and aspen-poplar. When climate continentality increasing, foliage efficiency values of mature forests is dropping, most intensively in pines, less intensive in deciduous forests and virtually no changes in spruce-fir communities. In zonal gradient from the northern temperate to the subequatorial belt, foliage efficiency of deciduous species decreases, but it of the evergreen spruce and pine increases in the same direction. One of the possible causes of these opposite zonal trends of foliage efficiency in evergreen and deciduous species consists in different conditions of physiological processes in the year cycle, in particular, in year-round assimilates accumulation in the first and seasonal one in the second.

The nature of forest pyrogenous anomalies in the basin of Baikal, due to mainly arid climate of the region and the predominance of highly inflammable types of light needle coniferous forests discussed in the paper. Pyrological regimes (placid, moderate, intense, and extreme) in the full altitudinal range at different meteorological situations of the seasons analyzed. Forest pyrogenous anomalies occur under intense and extreme conditions, especially during the spring and summer «high fire» season, as the establishment on a large part of the territory pyrological monotony with the full absence of incombustible areas of vegetation. Hence, a high risk of extensive landscape fires that really happened in recent times, in 2003 and 2015. The forest ecosystems’ post-fire transformation have been studied: fire damages of forests; post pyrogenous dynamics of their viability and productivity; the main variations in forest forming process; changes in soil environment, including the ash content and acidity of forest litter, physical and chemical soil properties. Pyrogenic degradation of forest ecosystems will inevitably lead to degradation of the protective functions of the Baikal forests, the restoration of which after landscape fires takes many decades. Products of soils erosion from the burned areas complicate current alarming situation with the pollution of coastal waters in Baikal lake.

Sap flow measurements have become relevant in many physiological and ecological investigations. A variety of methods are used to estimate sap flow in trees in modern studies. However the determination of accuracy of commonly used techniques often presents a challenge. We analyzed advantages, pitfalls and restrictions of up-to-date methods that were implemented in commercially available devices. We proposed a new hybrid method for measuring linear sap flow velocity, which was designed on the base of different variants of heat-pulse velocity (HPV) technique and thermal dissipation (TD) technique developed by Granier. The method was created in order to increase accuracy and precision of sap flow velocity measurements. The mathematical model of the proposed method was developed. It allows to determine accuracy of measurements and potential limits of applying the new technique in the field studies. The model is based on the description of heat process dynamics in the volume of 1 cubic decimeter of sap tissue. The obtained relationships were used in developed software that allows to model reverse heat pulses distribution under the condition of shortened interval between their generations. The proposed algorithm enables verification of zero sap flow velocity measurement in tree trunk with given accuracy. The computer program was developed. It allows to define maximum acceptable time interval for a given accuracy of determined values when the velocity is close to zero as well as to demonstrate the shape of the heat signal depending of time in the given point of trunk. The model calculations showed that the new method improves the accuracy of sap flow velocity measurements at low and high flow rates when conventional techniques suffer from significant errors. The applying of the new method allows to detect zero sap flow without using any additional measuring procedures and devices.

Dynamics of the forest ecosystems connects closely with the natural and anthropogenic changes (succession processes, forest fires, windfalls, forest insects, forest diseases, forest harvesting, reforestation, the infrastructure development associated and not associated with forestry and so forth). Authors do not consider the up-to-day problem of global warming on the Earth, as opinions of scientists are controversial. Retrospective analysis of forest dynamics of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for the last 50 years has allowed to assess the impact of these changes on condition of forests. The univocal conclusion of deterioration of forest quality has been drawn. Area of coniferous forests has decreased by 9 %, including the 25 % reduction of mature and overmature forest stands. To forecast forest dynamics, modelling of natural and anthropogenic processes in the forest ecosystems has been applied, taking into account that the existing system of measures for reforestation and tending care of forest actually does not affect dynamics of the forests. The provision about increase in forest harvesting volume to 37.6 million м³ of the Development Strategy of the Krasnoyarsk Forest Industrial Complex has been used for forecasting. It has been proved that such scale of forest harvesting will inevitably lead to the over-cutting of ecological and economic accessible allowable cut that will negatively affect the forest condition in 50 years. Our forecast of forest dynamics of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for the next 50 years has showed that negative changes will continue at the same pace under the current extensive form of forest management. What is more, the maximum decrease of forest area might be in pine forests (32.9 %) with the significant increase of broadleaves forests - 22.7 %. To improve the situation in the Russian forest sector, a radical change in the system of forest management is needed.

Honey is an important source of nutrients and energy and an effective remedy against various human diseases. Honeydew honey is produced from honeydew of phloem-feeders that honeybees gather. In this study, we focused on honeydew producers and diversity of host tree species which are involved in honeydew production in Turkey. A total of 24 honeydew producers by host tree species are identified in Turkey. Of these, 13 coniferous trees and 11 deciduous trees. The main honeydew producer in Turkey is a scale insect, Marchalina hellenica Gennadius (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) living mainly on pines (Turkish red pine, Aleppo pine, and rarely on stone pine, Anatolian black pine and Scots pine). Honeydew producer insects can be treated as serious pests of conifer and broadleaf trees. The aphids and the scale insects such as Ceroplastes floridensis, Cinara cedri, C. laportei, Eulachnus rileyi, Icerya purchase, Kermes vermilio, Lichtensia viburni and Saissetia oleae are known as pests in several European, Asian and African countries. Despite their potential harm to their host plants, insect species producing honeydew play an important role in honey production in Turkey. Turkish honey production is exported to EU countries and, furthermore beekeeping is an important part of agricultural sector in Turkey.

This study considers a remote sensing technique for mean volume estimation based on a very high-resolution (VHR) aerial RGB imagery obtained using a small-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) and a high-resolution photogrammetric digital surface model (DSM) as well as an innovative technology for field measurements (Trestima). The study area covers approx. 220 ha of forestland in Finland. The work concerns the entire process from remote sensing and field data acquisition to statistical analysis and forest volume wall-to-wall mapping. The study showed that the VHR aerial imagery and the high-resolution DSM produced based on the application of the sUAV have good prospects for forest inventory. For the sUAV based estimation of forest variables such as Height, Basal Area and mean Volume, Root Mean Square Error constituted 6.6 %, 22.6 and 26.7 %, respectively. Application of Trestima for estimation of the mean volume of the standing forest showed minor difference over the existing Forest Management Plan at all the selected forest compartments. Simultaneously, the results of the study confirmed that the technologies and the tools applied at this work could be a reliable and potentially cost-effective means of forest data acquisition with high potential of operational use.

The possibility to synthesize polarization response from earth covers at any desired combination of transmit and receive antenna polarizations is the significant advantage of polarimetric radar. It permits better identification of dominant scattering mechanisms especially when analyzing polarization signatures. These signatures depict more details of physical information from target backscattering in various polarization bases. However, polarization signatures cannot reveal spatial variations of the radar backscattering caused by volume heterogeneity of a target. This paper proposes a new approach for estimating volume target heterogeneity from polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images. The approach is based on the analysis of a novel type of polarization signature, which we call fractal polarization signature (FPS). This signature is a result of polarization synthesis of initial fully polarimetric data and subsequent fractal analysis of synthesized images. It is displayed as a 3D plot and can be produced for each point in an image. It is shown that FPS describes backscattering variations or image roughness at different states of polarization. Fully polarimetric data of SIR-C and ALOS PALSAR at ascending/descending orbits were used for testing the proposed approach. The azimuthal dependence of the radar backscattering variations is discovered when analyzing backscattering from a pine forest. It correlates with the results of a field survey of trees branch distribution.

In the article are shown results of assessment of relationships between quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests and morphometric characteristics of relief on an example model plot in Nanayskoe forest district of Khabarovsk Territory. The relevance of the investigation is connected with need for improvement of the system of forest evaluation operations in the Russian Federation, including with use of the landscape approach. The tasks of the investigation were assessment of relationships between characteristics of relief and characteristics of forest vegetation cover on different levels of forest management; evaluation of morphometric characteristics of relief are important for structure and productivity of forests; comparison of the results obtained through the use of digital terrain models ASTER and SRTM. Geoinformatic projects were formed for a model plot on the basis of digital terrain models and data of forest mensuration and State (National) Forest Inventory. On the basis of the developed method with use geoinformatic technologies were estimated morphometric characteristics of relief (average height, standard deviation of height, entropy, exposition and gradient of slopes, indexes of ruggedness and roughness), quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests. The multifactor regression analysis, where characteristics of forests (as dependent variables) and morphometric characteristics of relief (as independent variables) were used, have been done. As a result of research, the set of morphometric characteristics of relief able to influence to variability of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests was identified. The set of linear regression equations able to explain 30-50 % of variability of dependent variables was obtained. The regression equations, obtained on base of digital terrain models ASTER and SRTM, comparable to each other in strength of relations (coefficients of determination), but includes the different sets of morphometric characteristics. The results of the study suggest the presence of relationships between characteristics of forests and morphometric characteristics of relief on different levels of forest management.

Interrelations between the dynamics of populations of small mammals and percent of the infected animals was investigated in selections from local populations in harvest areas of the coniferous forests of the Yenisei ridge. Previously, it was found that for normal spleen its index does not exceed 5 ‰. Therefore, it was considered infected individuals who have discovered exceeding this threshold. It was assumed that infectious and invasion diseases in the district of collection of materials is a basic factor, regulative a numbers. It was found that the greatest degree of contamination of infectious diseases is typical for many species groups of the forest (Myodes) and gray (Microtus) voles, lesser in shrews of the genus Sorex. These two groups showed a strong, statistically significant relationship between the dynamic of number and variation of percent of the infected animals. It is educed that the fluctuations in the number and proportion of infected voles synchronized in dark coniferous forests. On the cutting areas of different age, they take place asynchronously and with a delay as compared to base-line biotopes. Synchronization of increase of number of small mammals with morbidity is explained by the increase of frequency of contacts, both between animals at all and animals infected by materials - excrements, food bits and pieces, external parasites. The asynchronicity of dynamic of number and infection for harvest areas is explained in that the process of distribution of infections in harvest areas takes place after increases in animals number and subsequent migrations of patients of animals and moving through cutting areas. This means that the base-line forests are a source distribution of zoonotic infections in the populations of small mammals. For shrews the increase of part of the infected animals took place synchronously with dynamic of number in this group in all types of biotopes. On that basis, supposition about specificity of factor, defiant the increase of spleen for shrews is done.

In the study, based on the analysis of literary sources and the own research materials, the characteristic of the environmental situation in Taimyr is done, in connection with aerial technogenic impact of the Norilsk mining and metallurgical industrial complex. The dynamics of forest condition over the past decade in the area close to 200 km or more from the plant were evaluated. The analysis was performed taking into account the landscape structure of the territory. The progressive drying of the large areas of the northern forests since the early 80 is registered. In the article, according to the literature reviewed, the structure, dynamics and distribution of air industrial emissions of the Norilsk mining and metallurgical industrial complex «Norilsk Nickel» is analyzed and presented. Further, the authors considered the impact of air industrial emissions of Norilsk industrial region on the forest ecosystems of Taimyr. The focus is on the main forest-forming tree - Siberian larch Larix sibirica Ledeb. It is noted the complete absence of the larch undergrowth in the area of industrial pollution. Investigation of the technogenically damaged forests was carried out on the basis of dendrochronological research at six different points on different distances from the city of Norilsk, mainly to the south and east of the metallurgical plant. One study point (sparse larch community) is located 5 km north-west of Norilsk. We investigated stands of varying degrees of damage, including completely dead. It is shown, that outside the area of Norilsk mining and metallurgical industrial complex impact there were no signs of damage to the foliage of the trees and on the contrary, in the area of air pollution (Khantaiskoe Lake), forest stands are largely affected. The main damaging agent is sulfur dioxide.

In the paper, the natural water chemical composition spatial variability studies results in the mountain forest catchment are presented. It’s shown that the catchment biotic components’ impact upon water chemical composition is detected even at input as atmospheric precipitation. The input fluxes are acid, sulfate ones with high ratio of hydrogen, potassium and dissolved organic matter. Diversity of ecotopic conditions determines the further transformation of natural water chemical composition. The role of tree crowns in the transformation increases while the crown closure and stands’ age increase. According to macrocomponents transformation and rain acidity neutralization, forest associations form the sequence: mixed > coniferous > young deciduous ones. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), potassium and calcium become the main components of water chemical composition, while sulfates dominate among anions. For vegetation period, 9-11 kg/ha of sulfates come below tree crown. Biogenic elements transport is gradually limited in soil profile at the migration stage. Sulfate-potassium composition throughfall in spruce-fir and secondary forests community transforms into sulfate-sodium-calcium. Hydrocarbonates predominate in soil water in broad-leaved-pine type of forest, and potassium output decreases 10 times. Geochemical type of river water keeps features of chemical composition of soil drained by river section. Negligible output of sulfates, hydrocarbonates and calcium from ecosystem is established for the headwaters. Negative balance of hydrocarbonates and calcium is compensated by significant input of these components with throughfall at catchments with predominantly pine-broad-leaved forest types.

Influence of existing methods and technologies of soil processing for forest crops on establishment and growth of cultivated tree species was studied. It was found that furrow plough processing of soil can interfere with the cultivated trees’ ecological peculiarities, because the furrow floor, where trees are planted, often constitutes the lower part of the turf or the upper part of the ashen-gray layers having unfavorable water-physical conditions and decreased crop-producing power. Whenever conifer trees grow on the bottom of a furrow excavated in medium and heavy clay loam, their growth is significantly decreased and accompanied by remarkable changes in morphology. Processing of shallow humus thickness soil with multiple cutter results in mixing of A₀, A₁ and A₂ (ashen-gray) layers. Consequently, the processed horizon obtains a lower amount of fertile substances than the vegetable soil on non-processed places. An apparatus for graded soil tillage, its construction, working principle and usage technology are described. The major peculiarity of the device consists in the ability not to crumbl the soil, but to shake down vegetable earth cut by subsurface plow from beneath. The technology involves removing roots and grass outside cultivated land, so that it cannot be then overgrown with weeds. It was found that exploitation of the device improves soil pulverization quality, enhances percentage of separates less than 10 mm and 10-50 mm, decreases content of the separate larger than 50 mm, and reduced specific energy output almost three-fold. Vertical displacement of control particles while soil processing with common cutter machines and the suggested device was studied. Establishment and growth of Siberian pine was determined in experimental productive cultures at different planting technologies. It was shown that under the suggested technology, forest plants furrow sowing can be done while soil processing, so that making nurseries becomes unnecessary, and cleaning, ploughing furrows, planting and further tending seedlings are not needed. Soil layers are not mixed, as within usual tillage. Rich soil layer is not withdrawn, so that germination ability of target seeds increases, and growth of seedlings in enhanced. The entire process takes much less energy compared to traditional technologies. Application of the device increases the quality of forest regeneration and reduces labor input owing to the new technology.

The article presents the results of research of grey alder Alnus incana L. stands on the territory of the Arkhangelsk Oblast within the North-taiga and Dvina-Vychegda taiga regions of the European part of the Russian Federation. The areas of grey alder stands in the period from 1978 to 2010 increased from 2.1 to 43.3 thousand ha in connection with the transfer to the forest fund of the former rural forests. Earlier forest inventory standards for this category of stands in the region were not developed. To compile a height and volume table, it was used the technique of I. I. Gusev (1971), which allow to minimize amount of sample trees. This technique is universal and can be used for other tree species. The field data collection was carried out on the territory of Kargopol, Velsk, Nyandoma, Arkhangelsk forestry units, the Kenozersky National Park and Dendrological Garden of the Northern Research Institute of Forestry. The result of the field work for the periods from 2013 to 2015 was 124 sample plots and 120 measured model trees for alder stand study. The developed tables are based on extensive field material (model trees and sample plots). Processing of field data was conducted by standard methods in forestry. Height grades’ table is used to determine the average height level of the stand. Volumes table is used to determine the growing stock levels for thickness grades. These tables meet the requirements of forestry practice, are used in the growing stock calculations. Development of height grade and volume tables based on known regularities of the homogeneous forest stands structure. Trees stands, which medium trees have the same forest inventory characteristics (g, h and f), are characterized by the same average volume for separate thickness grades, regardless of age, fullness, productivity rate and other characteristics of forest stands.

Studies were conducted in native spruce forests of the northern European Russian taiga. In each taiga subzone there were 8 permanent test sites analyzed. In biogeocenoses of test sites studied quantitative parameters of spruce trees’ as well as of deciduous species’ natural regeneration in respect to heights and diameters including measuring of undergrowth age in each gradation. The results of measurements were captured in a spreadsheet presenting quantitative parameters of natural regeneration of spruce trees and associated species in spruce biogecenoses grouped by taiga sub-zones in the forests of the European Russia. A graphic image features an example of changes in the quantity of trees in the age range of an oxalis-bilberry spruce forest. There were calculated average indices of ages for the spruce trees’ undergrowth (age) by heights gradations and by taiga sub-zones. As the height and age of undergrowth increases, its quantity on 1 ha of native uneven-aged spruce forest decreases, especially within the time period from 5 years to 30-40 years. Occurrence of deciduous species increases as high as 9 times on drawing from the southern taiga subzone to the northern one. For the subzone of southern taiga a correlation of linear indices of undergrowth height and its age is significant and positive (r = 0.67, when mr = 0.06 and t = 11.1).

The tris-chelate complex of vanadium(IV) (Bu₄N)₂[V(dmit)₃] is prepared from VCl₃ and (Bu₄N)₂[Zn(dmit)₂] (dmit = isotrithionedithiolate C₃S₅^2-) and characterized by single crystal XRD and mass spectrometry. The complex crystallizes in the space group Pna 2₁ and has a distorted octahedral environment of vanadium. The complex is paramagnetic and gives a characteristic EPR spectrum in both solution and solid phase. The g factors and hyperfine interaction constants are determined.

A novel volatile Pt(II)b-iminoketonate complex is synthesized. b-Aminovinylketone H(i-ptac) = [CF₃-C(O)-CH=C(NH₂)-C(CH₃)₃] is used as a ligand. The XRD method is used to determine the structures of the ligand and the complex. The crystallographic data for C₁₆H₂₂F₆N₂O₂Pt are as follows: a = 10.0716(4) Å, b = 10.9572(4) Å, c = 9.6322(4) Å, b = 110.9010(10)°, space group С 2/ m , Z = 2, R = 0.011. The platinum atom has a square planar coordination with two oxygen and two nitrogen atoms of two bidentately linked ketoiminate ligands in trans -position; the PtO₂N₂ coordination site is formed.

Single crystal X-ray diffraction is used to study the nitrosoruthenium mer- trinitrato complex [RuNO(NH₃)₂(NO₃)₃]. The crystallographic data for H₆N₆O₁₀Ru are as follows: a = 7.6477(1) Å, b = 10.8404(2) Å, c = 24.0168(6) Å, a = b = g = 90°, V = 1991.09(7) ų, Z = 8, d _calc = 2/338 g/cm³, space group Р 2₁2₁2₁. The structure is formed of two structurally non-equivalent uncharged mer- [RuNO(NH₃)₂(NO₃)₃] complexes. The complex crystallizes as yellow needles or orange powder belonging to the orthorhombic system. The substance is poorly soluble in water, ethanol, and acetone, stable in dark storage. The comparisons with the EXAFS data for this complex and the theoretical DFT calculations with different functionals are performed.

Volatile iridium(I) complexes [Ir(cod)Cp^x] (Cp^x = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl Cp*, ethylcyclopentadienyl Cp^Et, cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) are synthesized and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The [Ir(cod)Cp*] complex is a solid and the [Ir(cod)Cp^Et] complex is a liquid (SATP). The XRD method is used to determine the structure of the [Ir(cod)Cp*] complex: chemical formula C₁₈H₂₇Ir, space group P2₁/ с , a = 8,4418(2) Å, b = 9,4764(3) Å, c = 19.2682(5) Å, β = 96.128(1) °, V = 1532.61(7) ų, Z = 4, d _calc = 1.888 g/cm³, m = 8.697 mm^-1. The cyclopentadienyl ligand is h⁵-type coordinated; 1,5-cyclooctadiene have a cis - cis conformation and is h⁴-type coordinated. The thermal properties of the complexes are studied by thermogravimetry.

A cluster complex of the composition [CsK₂(m₃-DMF)₂(m-DMF)₃(DMF)₄][{Re₆(m₃-Se)₈}Br₆] is obtained by the reaction of K₄[{Re₆(m₃-Se)₈}(OH)₆]×8H₂O with hydrobromic acid in the presence of CsBr and its subsequent crystallization by diethyl ether diffusion in a dimethylformamide solution. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P , with the following unit cell parameters: a = 13.6169(3) Å, b = 14.7584(4) Å, c = 18.1573(4) Å, a = 103.332(1)°, b = 108.250(1)°, g = 97.371(1)°, V = 3286.55(14) ų, Z = 2, d _calc = 3.130 g/cm³. The crystal structure is built of [{Re₆Se₈}Br₆]^3- anionic cluster complexes and complex [CsK₂(m₃-DMF)₂(m-DMF)₃(DMF)₄]³⁺ cations.

Complexes ZnLCl₂ (I) and [CdLCl₂] _n (IV), where L is chiral bis -pyridine containing fragments of natural monoterpenoide (-)-a-pinene are synthesized. Single crystals of [ZnLCl₂]×CH₂Cl₂ (II), [ZnLCl₂]× i -PrOH (III), and IV compounds are grown. The crystal structures of II and III are composed of mononuclear ZnLCl₂ complex molecules and solvate CH₂Cl₂ and i -PrOH molecules; the coordination polyhedron of the zinc atom Cl₂N₂ is a distorted tetrahedron. According to the single crystal XRD data, complex IV is a 1D coordination polymer; the coordination core CdN₂Cl₄ is a distorted octahedron and Cl atoms are bridging ligands. In the structures of II, III, and IV the L molecule functions as a bidentate chelate ligand. In the solid phase, complexes I and IV exhibit photoluminescence in the visible range (l_max 505 nm and 460 nm respectively). The band intensity in the photoluminescence spectra of I and IV complexes considerably exceeds the band intensity in the spectrum of free L.

Palladium(II) and copper(II) complexes with 2-(2,2-dimethylhydrazone) pentanone-4 are synthesized for the first time. The compounds are characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, elemental and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The palladium complex crystallizes in the space group I 4₁/ a ; the copper complex crystallizes in the space group P . Both compounds are molecular; the palladium chelate core has a distorted square geometry and that of copper has a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The average M-O and M-N bond lengths are respectively 1.9808(15) Å and 2.0427(17) Å for M = Pd, 1.915(8) Å and 1.97(1) Å for M = Cu. The chelate O-M-N angles are 88.32(7)-91.67(7)° for M = Pd, 93.37(4)-99.02(5)° for M = Cu.

A gradient chemical structure of micron-sized crystals of CuCrS₂ and CuCr_{1- x} V _x S₂ powders is established by the differential dissolution technique. It is shown that their surface region coherently conjugated with planar faces of CuCrS₂ crystals is enriched with copper whereas the bulk is depleted of copper and the copper sublattice is disordered. A possible mechanism of the formation of surface regions due to a high bulk mobility of copper atoms in the defect copper sublattice is proposed. It is shown that for solid solutions the disordering process involves copper and vanadium atoms and vacancy complexes. The phenomena found are discussed together with the structural and magnetic data.

A low-temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition procedure is developed for hexagonalого boron nitride nanowalls that are an array of sheets vertically aligned relative to the Si(100) substrate. A triethylaminoborane and ammonia gas phase was used for the first time to form h-BN nanowalls. Nanowall sizes are 50-250 nm long and 10-25 nm thick. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques are employed to study the structures of boron nitrideх nanowalls. The effect of synthesis parameters (film deposition temperature and growth time) on the chemical and phase compositions, surface morphology, film structure, and their optical properties are analyzed.

FTIR spectroscopy is used to study the distribution of bulk (free) and hydration (bound) water during the extraction of Au(III) and Pt(IV) from acid sulfate-chloride media by reverse micelles consisting of non-ionic (Triton N-42) and anionic (AOT) surfactants. It is shown that the bulk water fraction increases with an increase in the anionic AOT concentration and that of hydration water increases with an increase in the non-ionic Triton N-42 concentration. A decrease in the bulk water fraction and an increase in the hydration water content enhance the extraction capacity of mixed micelles.

Stable colloidal dispersions with a 2 mM TiS₃ concentration (300 mg/l) are obtained by ultrasonic treatment of TiS₃ in acetonitrile and isopropyl alcohol and characterized by physicochemical methods. The electrical double layers for the particles in dispersions are estimated from the measured z-potentials, and the energies of interparticle interactions are calculated based on the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. The structural and spectroscopic identity of the particles and crystalline TiS₃ is demonstrated for the solid phases obtained from the dispersions.

A comparative study of the structural features of zinc 2,9,16,23-tetra- tert -butylphthalocyanine films (ZnPc( ^t Bu)₄) obtained by vacuum thermal deposition and spin coating techniques is performed. By powder X-ray diffraction, 2D GIXD, and optical absorption spectroscopy it is shown that ZnPc( ^t Bu)₄ films obtained by the spin coating technique consist of a disordered a-phase with small crystallites. After annealing at 200 °C for 3 h the films transform into the b-phase, with crystallite sizes increasing, however, they remain disordered relative to the substrate surface. On heating under the same conditions, the ZnPc( ^t Bu)₄ films obtained by thermal vacuum sublimation transform from the weakly oriented low-temperature a-phase into the oriented b-phase. Dependences of a chemiresistive sensor response of the ZnPc( ^t Bu)₄ films to ammonia (10-50 ppm) are investigated depending on the preparation and annealing methods of the films.

Three new metal-organic coordination polymers (H₂NMe₂)₂[Li₃(btc)(Hbtc)(DMF)₄] (1), [Li₅(DMF)₆(btc)(Hbtc)]×2DMF (2), and [Li₆(DMF)₈(bdc)(Hbtc)] (3) (H₃btc is trimesic acid, H₂bdc is terephthalic acid) are prepared by heating LiOH with different aromatic carboxylic acids in dimethyl formamide (or its mixture with water). The crystal structures and composition of the compounds are determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 has a layered structure; compounds 2 and 3 have a framework structure.