The aim of the research was to study the chemical composition of snow and soil of Svirsk city (Pribaikaľe) in order to assess the current environmental-geochemical situation in the city. Industrial specifics in Svirsk city is marked by higher concentrations of many toxic elements—As, Cd, Pb, W, Sb, Pb, Zn, Hg, and characteristic of preexisting and currently existing enterprises. The contents in biological matrices of some of the toxicants exceed physiological standards and violate the balance of elements necessary for people. The results of studies of the chemical (major and trace elements) composition of snow water, solid residue of snow and soil, a comparative analysis with earlier published data, and maximum permissible concentrations of elements have shown that the environmental situation in the city has been adversely affected within the last 20 years due to technogenesis.

Chemical composition of snow and soil in Svirsk city (Irkutsk Region, Pribaikal’e)

This work presents a study involving the determination of Cd, Cr and Pb in ceramic tableware by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) using a simple and practical slurry sampling...

Evaluation of sample preparation methods for the determination of Cd, Cr and Pb in ceramic tableware by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Noble metals in black shales of the Sukhoi Log gold deposit (East Siberia): evidence from scintillation arc atomic-emission spectrometry

Centre of Isotopic and Geochemical Research based on the Analytical Department of Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry SB RAS (Irkutsk) performs a wide range of analytical studies to solve mineralogical and petrological, geochemical, prospecting, ecological, paleoclimatic and applied problems. The studies are supported by the modern equipment for electron microprobe, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, atomic emission and mass spectrometric (including isotope) analyses, as well as the necessary international certified reference materials (SRM) and a collection of SRM of the natural and technogenic composition of our production. 

Centre of isotopic and geochemical research (igc sb ras): current state of micro- and macroanalysis

The study was conducted in 2 urbanized areas of the Baikal region of Russia. These are the cities of Shelekhov and Tayshet with their suburbs. Aluminum production has been carried out in Shelekhov ...

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/11786221211004114

Chemical Contamination of Soil on Urban Territories With Aluminum Production in the Baikal Region, Russia:

A review of publications on the creation and application of certified reference materials for the chemical analysis of geological materials and environmental objects with the aim to ensure the uniformity of measurements is presented.

Certified reference materials of geological and environmental objects: Problems and solutions

The role of plant-matrix certified reference materials as instruments ensuring the uniformity of measurements and the reliability of the results in performing ecological research and the production of foodstuffs and medicines is discussed. Specific features of the composition of plants as of test materials for chemical analysis and requirements to the methods of its determination are considered from the viewpoint of the provision of traditional agricultural tasks and geochemical, ecological, and medicobiological projects with certified reference materials. International and Russian regulatory documents on the preparation of certified reference materials taking into account the limited concentrations of toxic elements in plant materials are presented. Various content of classes of the existing plant-matrix certified, reference and for quality control materials of different producers are noted. The need in the expansion of the list of matrix certified reference materials for ensuring the reliability of analytical procedures in using methods of chemical analysis of plant materials and the consistency of their results is shown.

Plant-Matrix Certified Reference Materials as a Tool for Ensuring the Uniformity of Chemical Measurements

Plants of the genus Thymus L. are traditionally used in medicine and cooking due to the presence of biologically active compounds in them that have fungicidal, antibacterial and other medicinal properties and original taste qualities. Genetic features and growing conditions cause the elemental composition, responsibly of the synthesised medicinal compounds. However, information on the contents and distributions of elements in the organs of Thymus L. is very limited. This study was to set and compare the elements in organs of wild thyme for different soil and climatic conditions. Two species of wild Thymus L. from Mongolian steppe and on the coast of Lake Baikal were collected during flowering. Twenty-four elements, including Si, in soils, roots, stems, leaves and flowers were simultaneously determined by atomic emission spectrometry. Elemental profiles of two species of wild Thymus L. are described. It is assumed that Si is a necessary element of the plant. The predominance of the genetic resistance of plants over the influence of soil and climatic conditions is shown.

/pdf/elemental-profiles-of-wild-thymus-l-plants-growing-in-9m60pru0.pdf

Elemental Profiles of Wild Thymus L. Plants Growing in Different Soil and Climate Conditions

Compositions of rare mineral phases containing precious metals (PMs) in samples from Natalka, Pavlik, Vetrenskoe, and Degdekan gold ore deposits (North-East of Russia) are studied by scintillation atomic emission spectrometry (SAES) and electron probe microanalysis (scanning electron microscopy and electron probe X-ray microanalysis, SEM–EPMA). The SAES method found dozens and hundreds of particles carrying gold, silver, and all platinum-group elements as native metals, intermetallides and solid solutions, arsenides, antimonites, sulfoarsenides, tellurides, selenides, etc. The variety of the elemental compositions of PM species (mineral phases) found by SAES significantly exceeds the list of minerals found previously by SEM–EPMA because of different natures of optical and X-ray spectra. The sizes of PM particles calculated by the SAES method and measured by SEM–EPMA are similar. The SAES data on the total concentrations of PMs satisfactorily agree with the results of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

E. V. Shabanova

Papers

Certified reference materials of geological and environmental objects: Problems and solutions

Noble metals in black shales of the Sukhoi Log gold deposit (East Siberia): evidence from scintillation arc atomic-emission spectrometry

Plant-Matrix Certified Reference Materials as a Tool for Ensuring the Uniformity of Chemical Measurements

Elemental Profiles of Wild Thymus L. Plants Growing in Different Soil and Climate Conditions

Determination of Precious Metals in Geological Samples from Four Gold Ore Deposits of the North-East of Russia