Development of an environmentally safe non-mechanized technology of the polluted forest areas reclamation

Abstract

The inaccessibility of forest areas dictates the need to optimize the ways of their reclamation in case of pollution. The northern regions are highly vulnerable. To determine the degree of pollution, a variant of mapping the site with the determination of the degree of pollution was considered. Water sampling in the contaminated zone indicates intensive processes of decomposition organically exceeding the MPC. The penetration depth of contaminants is up to 95 cm. With prolonged exposure to organo-fat contaminants covering surfaces, death of vegetation and forest stands is noted. With distance from the source of pollution, the projective cover of some types of vegetation increases. 2 variants of reclamation are considered: mechanized and two-stage treatment directly at the site of pollution, carried out using additional aeration. Accelerated decomposition of contaminants up to 9 days at a dose of 15 g/l was confirmed. The results of the treatment is an increase in the pH of the medium from acidic to neutral. The height of the layer of organic surface contamination is reduced by 88% in 9 days when the mixture is aerated. The second stage is also confirmed by a decrease in the nitrogen concentration by 1.5–2 times, while the transparency of the solution increases by 2–2.5 times. The peculiarity of the revealed method of reclamation is a two-stage biodegradation, implemented directly in the natural environment without the use of machines and mechanisms. According to the results of a technical and economic comparison of the costs of the two reclamation options, the use of the new technology turned out to be 9 times cheaper, and the time costs are reduced by 2 times and can be 14 days, which is acceptable for the northern territories.