Phyto-indication of the reclaimed territories of the EVRAZ ZSMK JSC sludge storage

Abstract

Sludge storages and tailing dumps, as an integral part of the man-caused landscape, occupy a special place in the framework of field research on the reclamation of disturbed lands. At the reclaimed territories of man-caused origin, various technological, mechanical, physical and chemical methods used to prevent their negative impact on the environment. Those include improving waste storage by grain size or physical and chemical composition, alteration the state of storage products through briquetting and granulation, arranging obstacles to prevent dust spreading or solid coating with a non-dusting material, creating a protective layer using foam or hydro-dedusting to stabilize the dusting surface. However, the most environmentally efficient is the creation of protective vegetation cover on industrial waste. The biological method is of particular relevance due to the phyto-toxicity of the man-caused substrate of sludge storages and the difficulties of creating a sustainable plant cover on them. Taking into account the production and environmental characteristics of waste sludge storages of EVRAZ ZSMK, JSC, as part of biological monitoring, the physiological state assessed and the chemical composition of plants growing on the reclaimed areas of this man-caused object analyzed. Within a field experiment, the physiological parameters of woody plants studied at the sludge storage of EVRAZ ZSMK. The results obtained indicate their adaptive capabilities, despite the high daily temperature during the growing season, the lack of moisture, the lack of optimal mineral nutrition. A comprehensive assessment of the environmental safety of the use of sewage sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants on the sludge storage substrate as the main soil conditioner given. It was shown that their use at waste of sludge storages of EVRAZ ZSMK JSC couldn’t be considered as a source of additional pollution during remediation activities. At that, the content of nutrients in the formed man-caused areas increases, which ensures survival and long-term growth of vegetation. Selection of the species composition of seeded herbs (grasses) determined by their resistance to extreme conditions and soil-improving properties, which allows to form a steady phytocenosis for a short time period under conditions of unfavorable mancaused impact of metallurgical production waste, which can most positively affect the ecological state of the Novokuznetsksuburban area.