Rivers In Ukraine Research Articles

EXPRESS ASSESSMENT OF HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL OF THE SMALL RIVERS IN UKRAINE WITH ACCOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS

The article is devoted to the development of an express method for assessing the potential of hydropower resources of the small rivers in Ukraine, taking into account the requirements of the current regulatory framework in the environmental and energy sectors, which provides objective information for the development of small hydropower stations at the current stage of alternative energy development. The article determines the environmental restrictions of small hydropower based on the provisions of the current regulatory and legal framework of Ukraine, the criteria for the ecological value of the territory and the principles of preserving the diversity of wild fauna of rivers. Restrictions on the use of water for the production of small hydropower plants take into account the sanitary discharge, the continuous operation of fishers, low water, floods, operational measures to regulate the water flow through hydroconstructions, the regulation of hydroelectric power through the watercourse which allows practically no distortion of the natural hydrological regime and biological state of river below the station. Restrictions on the use of the territory for the construction of small hydropower stations take into account the presence of national natural parks, reserves, and natural monuments, places of deposits of minerals and mineral waters, historical and cultural heritage, special purpose land. Restrictions on the permissible bias of river sections have been introduced with regard to environmental restrictions. The article substantiates the significance of the technical potential of the hydropower resources of small rivers in Ukraine, taking into account environmental restrictions, at the level of 1270 million kWh/year (about 375 MW of installed capacity of small HPPs), and its distribution over the hydrological zones of the country. It is established that the volume of technically achievable potential of hydropower resources, even for the main deep-water small rivers of Ukraine, is within 3–15% of their natural potential. The results obtained are essential for the development of a modern concept of regional programs for the development of small hydropower and the Energy Strategy, implementation of the activities of the National Action Plan for Renewable Energy in Ukraine.

Method of forecasting assessment of the maximum runoff characteristics of the Dnipro Basin's rivers in spring season

Introduction. In Ukraine, under the conditions of current climate variability, the water content of the rivers, including the period of spring flood, changes. Against the background of the general tendency of reduction of the runoff characteristics of the spring flood of the rivers in Ukraine, formation of catastrophic floods on rivers leading to flooding of territories and destruction of economic objects should not be ruled out. The research is aimed at solving an important scientific-applied and socio-economic problem of improving the water management in the basin of the country's large waterway, the Dnipro River, through probabilistic assessments of hydrological threats which include spring flood and its consequences – floods of various magnitudes. Therefore it is necessary to create a unified universal mathematical model for formation, calculation and long-term forecasting of water flood characteristics, and to implement it for the Dnipro Basin's rivers (including small ones which usually are not recorded in the data of runoff observations), taking into account the climate changes of the winter-spring period.
 The purpose consists in prognostic assessment of the hydrological regime characteristics of the Dnipro Basin's rivers during the most full-flowing phase of their water regime, the spring flood, for the purpose of spatial monitoring of the state of water objects during this period. The research offers the method of territorial long-term forecasts of the spring floods characteristics which is based on the theory of channel isochrones and consideration of the complex of runoff formation hydrometeorological factors with preliminary determination of the type of water content of spring flood. The spatial representation of forecast variables in cartographic form will allow estimation of the size of the water flood and its long-term repeatability throughout the entire basin and preparation of forecasts for separate rivers, regardless of the degree of their hydrological exploration.
 Results. As a result of application of the complex forecasting method of territorial long-term forecasts of the spring flood characteristics of the rivers (through the example of the Dnipro Basin within Ukrainian borders), typification of floods based on their water content was performed using a discriminant function apparatus which takes into account the probable combination of hydrometeorological factors of spring floods. In terms of regional dependencies forecast of runoff depths and maximum water flow of floods was conducted and probability of their occurrence in the long-term period was determined. Assessment of the forecast methodology provided satisfactory results, and, under the conditions of long-term tendency to decrease runoff depths and maximum water flow during the spring flood of the Dnipro Basin's rivers, it is proposed to specify the average long-term values of these variables which are basic ones when applying the method of territorial long-term forecasts of the maximum spring runoff of rivers. A spatial preliminary estimation of the size of spring floods within the Dnipro River Basin was also fulfilled. The authors completed implementation of the method of territorial long-term forecasts of spring flood characteristics using the data of the water flood of 2017-2018.
 Conclusion. In general, taking into account the obtained criteria of accuracy, the method can be considered effective and recommended for release of annual long-term forecasts of the rivers' spring flood characteristics at in operational units delivering forecasting hydrological services to respective consumers. Through the example of the spring flood of 2017-2018 the possibility of forecasting assessment of the hydrological regime characteristics of the Dnipro Basin's rivers was shown which allows determining the zones of increased river runoff over the spring period and increased threat of possible flooding of surrounding areas, especially when the floods with a rare probability of excess occur.

MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS UPSLOPE OF A SMALL RIVER

To date, the acute problem is the sharp deterioration of the ecological state of small rivers inUkraine. Therefore, a number of measures are being taken to improve them, including clearing river channels to restore the natural flow. After dredging works, bottom sediments are formed which are alluvium in the form of sand of various composition and organic matter - silt. These deposits can accumulate a variety of pollutants, including heavy metals. However, despite the possible ecological danger, they are stored in the dumps along the coast. In these dumps there are processes of dehumidification of sludge through filtration, changing chemical composition, the possible migration of chemical elements into the soil. Such bottom sediments can act as a secondary source of environmental pollution. In the article the material composition of bottom sediments and their dumps is considered on the example of the river Mokra Sura. For the study, samples from ten control points were selected. Selected samples are moist soil from dark gray to black. To assess their material composition, studies have been conducted to determine the content of organic matter in the analyzed soils and bottom sediment, the mineral composition of the ozonated samples and their chemical composition.Studies show that the bottom sediments of theSukraRivercontain a high amount of organic matter, which could be favorable for improving the soil quality, but they are contaminated with toxic substances, mainly in a soluble form, which may lead to deterioration of the natural properties of soils. The obtained results indicate that the material of dumps can be a source of secondary contamination of the river and surrounding soils, so it can not be left on the shore. It also can not be used as fertilizer or substrate for agricultural purposes. It must be utilized in other ways. The given data show that it is necessary to conduct detailed research of bottom sediments formed during dredging works and only then decide on their further use. It is also advisable to group the small rivers in the composition of the bottom sediments with the degree of their environmental hazard.

Priority substances and emerging pollutants in urban rivers in Ukraine: Occurrence, fluxes and loading to transboundary European Union watersheds

The occurrence and fluxes of 18 priority substances and emerging pollutants listed in the European Union Water Framework Directive and a Watch List (trace metals (Cd, Pb and Ni), nonylphenols, octylphenols, 8 polyaromatic hydrocarbons, 4 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and diclofenac) were investigated in a Ukrainian city and the mass discharge loads of these compounds into EU-transboundary watersheds were estimated. Fluxes of chemicals were calculated per capita and per area of the Ukrainian urban territory and used to estimate mass loading of priority and emerging concern compounds from Lviv, Uzhorod and Chernivtsi (West Ukraine) to neighbouring EU-transboundary rivers. The highest loading was found for trace metals (1.15 t a−1), diclofenac (0.7 t a−1) and nonylphenols (0.4 t a−1). Transboundary water contamination must be considered in order to successfully manage water resources in a manner that fulfils the requirements of EU environmental quality standards.

УПРАВЛІННЯ ЕКОСИСТЕМНИМИ ПОСЛУГАМИ: СТРАТЕГІЯ ЗАПРОВАДЖЕННЯ В УКРАЇНІ

The article analyzes the world and domestic experience in relation to the nature issues and classification of ecosystem services, their economic assessment and market formation, and the improvement of the economic mechanism of nature use through the introduction of payments for such services. Ukraine has all the prerequisites for including ecosystem services in the economic relations system. First, it is necessary to coordinate approaches to the nature of ecosystem services, then develop methodological tools for their economic assessment and create a system for managing ecosystem services. On the example of the river ecosystems services their importance for providing the population with proper quality water, flood mitigation, water quality regulation, provision of freshwater fish, recreation, and so on were substantiated. The Government approved the Hydropower Development Program of Ukraine until 2026, which foresees the further construction of hydroelectric power stations mainly on small and medium rivers. During the Program development, a number of gross violations of national and international environmental legislation and the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union were committed. Water management should be based on a basin management principle that is in line with the principles of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. Based on the results of the conducted research the following conclusions have been made: The main reason for the critical state of small rivers in Ukraine is a high level of economic load in their catchment basins, an outdated system of wastewater treatment. To restore water supply ecosystem services, it is necessary to increase the natural water content of the rivers, stop the deforestation and plow the coastal lands, drain the bogs in the upper part of the basin, which will ensure the rivers flow throughout the channel. In order to introduce a mechanism for the ecosystem services provision in Ukraine, systematic identification and evaluation of ecosystem services should be carried out in the first place according to their types, territorial, geographical, climatic and other features. After the necessary ecological and economic measures in the hydropower and other sectors of the economy are carried out, inventories and assessments of the benefits derived from the using of ecosystem functions by economic agents and other stakeholders should be identified.

The Influence of Urban Landscape Geosystem on Salt Composition of River Waters

This study of the change in salt composition of the water in Ukrainian rivers has shown that the salts ratio and the total dissolved solids ratio increase in the waters of rivers flowing in the steppe zone of Ukraine. Purpose. To study the salt composition of waters in the rivers making up an integral part of the urban landscape geosystem. Methods. Potentiometric and gravimetric methods as well as titration and computation. Results The results were obtained on the basis of analyzing 42 surface water samples taken under various hydrological regimes of the three rivers flowing in the city of Kharkiv. The total growth of chlorides towards the end of the Kharkiv River seasonal floods made up 158.31%, during the autumn high water it was 105.26%, and at the start of seasonal floods it was 37.14%. In the waters of the Lopan River, the total growth of chlorides towards the end of seasonal floods made up 86.67%, during the autumn high water it was 56.69%, and at the start of seasonal floods it was 72.22%. The total growth of chlorides towards the end of the Udy River seasonal floods made up 42.05%, during the autumn high water it was only 0.89%, and at the start of seasonal floods it was 12.5%. Towards the end of the Kharkiv River seasonal floods the amount of sulphates decreased by 7.46% while during the autumn high water it was almost unchanged (increased by 0.27%); the amount of sulphates decreased by 1.13% towards the end of the Lopan River seasonal floods and by 10.03% during the autumn high water; the amount of sulphates increased by 55.95% towards the end of the Udy River seasonal floods (on the territory of Kharkiv city) while during the autumn high water it increased by 31.43%. Conclusions. It was established that chlorides concentration in the water under various hydrological regimes is extremely changeable with the tendency to increase, yet their content does not exceed environmental standards.

Transportation-logistic processes of cargo flow treatment improvement at the territory of the river port

The potential of Ukrainian river transport is analyzed. The main problems of the present state of river transport are revealed and the prospects of integra-tion of river ports to the European transportation network are considered. An analysis of the current state of Ukrainian river transportation development has shown that the technical support and efficiency of using the resourceful navigable potential of Ukrainian rivers for a long period of time have a negative dynamics. But at the state level, the development of inland waterways is declared as a pri- ority activity of the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure.The deterrent factors of transport-logistic activity development of the river ports are determined. These include: insufficient quantity and high percentage of deterioration of the river fleet; unattractive proposals of logistics and transportation services; insufficient values of transshipment operations time from concurrency point of view, which leads to an unacceptable increase in the cargo delivery time, etc.Possible ways to improve the cargoes transshipment processes from ground types of transport to water and in the opposite direction due to introduction of logistic technologies are offered. Such an approach will provide an opportunity to correctly organize the interaction between different types of transport on the ter-ritory of the river port.The scheme of possible logistic chain time elements for cargo flows treat-ment during the processing in the river port is made. It has been established that river ports is a significant element of cargo delivery logistics system during mixed transportation with the participation of water transport, which, in most cases, de-termine the time component of the whole logistic chain of goods delivery. The re- levant transportation processes have been formalized in order to identify real time reserves by which it is possible to reduce the time during which cargo and vehicles are located at the port during the transfer process from one type of transport to another and to cut the corresponding financial costs.Further research may be concerned to identifying the time reserves for other parts of the mixed cargo delivery logistics systems in order to accelerate the total transportation process and to reduce the total cost of transportation, which will increase the competitiveness of river transport and make it more attractive for organizations and enterprises that are customers of transportation services.

ОЦІНКА ГІДРОЛОГО-ГІДРОХІМІЧНОЇ ВИВЧЕНОСТІ БАСЕЙНУ ПІВДЕННОГО БУГУ

The history of the development of the hydrometric network within the basin of the Southern Bug from the end of the nineteenth century to today is considered. The Southern Bug basin is among the well-studied hydrologically, although instrumental hydrological observations on the river began later than other large Ukrainian rivers. The interest of scientists and practitioners for a long time was limited only to the study of the lower section of the river, suitable for navigation. The presence of thresholds and fluctuations along the river and its inflows, on the one hand, prevented the development of navigation, but, on the other hand, have long promoted the use of their mechanical energy. Interest in studying the hydrological regime of the Southern Bug River from the beginning of the 20th century has grown in connection with studies on the possibility of using the river for electricity generation. The distribution of operating hydrological stations over the duration of the observation period and the area of the water catchment area is analyzed. The largest duration of observations is characterized by the South Bug River in town Alexandrivka, which has a 100-year observation period. By typising the Water Framework Directive of the European Union hydrological stations of the basin, where the water discharge is measured, are located, mainly (50%) in large and very large (23%) rivers. The small rivers, where only one hydrological station operates, remains practically not covered by observations. The first generalizations of hydrological observations on the rivers of the basin were made in the mid-20th of the last century. In the post-war time, as accumulation of observations on the hydrological stations of the basin, the preconditions for their synthesis and further analysis were created. One of the first steps in obtaining practical experience in implementing the provisions of the EU WFD in Ukraine was the development of the "Southern Bug River Basin Management Plan", 2014.

The current level of β-radioactivity in the Zaporizhzhya storage lake

The condition control of the Ukrainian rivers is an integral part of the population safety level. The change of such state can occur for several reasons. The first is the increase of pollution level from the working enterprises. The second – the efficiency reduction of protective constructions which store the radioactive wastes of (tailings dam). And the third – movement changes of water masses which are capable to lift the radio nuclides received earlier from the river bed (for example, the accident on the Chernobil atomic station). Therefore, the aim of the work was the modern level evaluation of b-nuclide pollution (90Sr and 137Cs) in water of Zaporizhzhya storage lake on the largest density points of the industrial enterprises on the Dnieper river in the sequence Kamenskoe – Dnipro – Zaporizhzhya at different seasons of the three years. Within 2014–2016 we carried out investigations of Zaporizhzhya storage lake b-radiation level for different seasons. The sampling was made at depth from 1,0 m to 1,5 m on six points. These points corresponded to the coast ones of Zaporizhzhya storage lake which are bound up with the industrial enterprises wastes of Kamenskoe and Dnipro or the small rivers fall points into the Dnieper River. The sampling points were: a coastal area 200 m below the Dneprodzerzhinsky dam, the river port, Starie Kodaki, the mouth of the river Mokra Sura, village Vojskove and Fyodorivka. The water mass of 5 kg was taken from these points and poured into the glass bottles. For radioactive pollution level determination in river's points we used two samples by 60 dm3 volume or caesium (137Cs) and strontium (90Sr) definition. 90Sr activity in water was determined radiochemically by oxalates sedimentation method with the subsequent measurement on the UMF-1500 installation. The isotope 137Cs was besieged by potassium ferrocyanide from a muriatic solution with the subsequent measurement on a small background installation The general β-radioactivity (Bq/l) was determined in the samples on the radiometer-«Beta» with the help of the SBT-13 counter by direct measurement method of samples. We showed that the levels of general β-activity water or at the investigated selection points of Zaporizhzhya storage lake fluctuated on average from 0,14 to 0,24 Bq/l, the content of 90Sr radionuclides in water is from 0,029 to 0,055 Bq/l, for 137Cs – is 0,042 Bq/l. In autumn β-activity level in Zaporozhzhya storage lake water decreased in comparison with spring – summer seasons. It is typical for storage lakes with a superficial filling which is followed by a relative increase of radioactive materials in water from deeply lying breeds bottom. For 90Sr, the effect of fluctuations in its concentration is observed, depending on the presence of industrial centers on the way of water movement along the Zaporizhzhya Reservoir. This effect not marked for 137Cs. An assessment of the level of water pollution has shown that in our time the indicators of the studied isotopes do not exceed the permissible levels of radioactivity stipulated by the norms of radiation safety of Ukraine from 1997.

A simulation study of surface water purifying through a polystyrene foam filter

The study has improved the mathematical model of water purification in view of the physicochemical properties of surface water, the type of filter loading, and the filtration characteristics of filtering structures. The advanced mathematical model takes into account the inverse influence of the process characteristics on the filtration parameters, changes in the diameters of the loaded grains throughout the height, the direction of filtering, and the turbidity of water at the inlet. The authors performed a comparative analysis of the work of filters with homogeneous and non-uniform loading for water filtration in different directions and carried out statistical processing of the results of the study with the establishment of the adequacy and the possibility of its use for a mathematical description of water treatment processes. Physicochemical properties of surface water entering filtration structures are taken into account in the model in the form of kinetic coefficients. The kinetic coefficients, which characterize the intensity of contaminants’ separation from and adhesion to the loaded grains, were obtained using the dimension theory method and were deduced for floating densities. It has been determined that the optimum loading height is 1.0 m for the ascending and descending filtration directions, where the output water quality is of the normative values. The improved mathematical model can help select the optimal design (the loading height and area, the granulometric composition, etc.) and the technological parameters (velocity and direction of filtration, degree of vaporization of incoming water) of polystyrene foam filters; it allows producing simulation of filters’ work in different conditions. A simulation of the work of polystyrene foam filters with different parameters of operation was carried out, which made it possible to specify optimal structural and technological parameters of the polystyrene foam filters for purifying water of the Horyn River (Rivne Oblast, Ukraine), the composition of which is typical for most plain rivers in Ukraine

Reproductive Potentials of Diploid and Polyploidy Representatives of the Genus Сobitis (Cypriniformes, Cobitidae)

Abstract Comparison of reproductive parameters in several Cobitis forms with different ploidy shows that the maximum fertility is found in diploid Cobitis, the triploids are less fertile and the tetraploids even less fecund. The latter reach maximum values of size and weight indicators but minimum number of eggs, the smallest size of the ovaries but the biggest eggs. Nevertheless, the combined reproductive potential of polyploid females is higher than of diploid spiny loaches with equal ratios of males to females in populations. The obvious reasons for the successful expansion of polyploid individuals of the spiny loaches are both their higher fertility at the population level and the changes in environmental conditions associated with the regulation of all major rivers in Ukraine in the 1960-1970s.

ЗАГАЛЬНИЙ ГІДРОЕНЕРГЕТИЧНИЙ ПОТЕНЦІАЛ РІЧОК УКРАЇНСЬКИХ КАРПАТ

The results of calculating the total hydropower potential of Ukrainian Carpathians rivers were presented in the article. The total hydropower potential of specific sections of the rivers was calculated. The boundaries of the sections were identified by the changing characteristics of hydraulic channels.Calculation of the total hydropower potential of the rivers of the Carpathian region for Tisa, Siret, Prut and Dniester river basins, which have a length over 10 km were executed. There 334 rivers in the region were examined, 1,247 sections were identified. Total hydropower potential of Ukrainian Carpathians rivers are 2340531 kW or 2340,5 MW. The volume potential annual capacity consists 20.5 billion KWh / year. The largest hydroelectric capacity is typical for the Tisza river basin (within Ukraine). Their total hydropower potential amounts 1092,4 MW, provides 46.4% all hydropower capacity of all Carpathian rivers of Ukraine. Hydroelectric power of Dniester river basin is 34,9% (321 MW) of the total general hydropower potential of the rivers of the Carpathian region of Ukraine. Part of the hydropower potential of the rivers of Prut river basin amounts 17,2% (404 MW) and of the Siret river basin amounts 1,01% (24 MW). Total hydropower potential of the rivers of Ukrainian Carpathians proportionate to production capacity Dnipro hydropower cascade. In addition, total hydropower potential of rivers Ukrainian Carpathians exceeds economically effective hydropower potential of rivers in Ukraine to 3 bln. kWh / year, which is 17.5 billion. kWh / year.

The intra-annual streamflow distribution of Ukrainian rivers in different phases of long-term cyclical fluctuations

In this article, the analysis of homogeneity and stationarity of the mean monthly discharges of the rivers of Ukraine was carried out by means of hydro-genetic methods with the use of observation series on 305 water gauging stations from the very beginning of the observation till 2010 inclusive. An integral curve was used for the estimates of homogeneity of the observation series. Difference-integral curves were used for estimation of stationarity of the observation series and for the study of their long-term cyclical fluctuations. It turned out that most series of the mean monthly discharges were homogeneous. The observation series that have a full cycle of long-term cyclical fluctuations (dry and wet phases) are stationary, whereas other observation series are quasi-stationary. The intra-annual streamflow redistribution occurs depending on dry and wet phases of long-term cyclical fluctuations. It is shown that the terms, the duration of periods and seasons of intra-annual streamflow distribution should define cyclical fluctuations because the mean monthly discharges change in dry and wet phases. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out development of the schemes of the components of intra-annual streamflow distribution for the rivers of Ukraine because such schemes were defined on the short observation series in 50–80s of the 20th century without considering a long-term cyclical fluctuation streamflow.

A method for calculating characteristics of maximal river runoff in the absence of observational data: Case study of Ukrainian rivers

Scientific and methodological approaches to calculating characteristics of maximal runoff in Ukrainian rivers are considered.

Droughts and their relationship with some phases of the streamflow regime for Ukrainian rivers

Droughts and their relationship with some phases of the streamflow regime for Ukrainian rivers

The influence of water migration of microelements on the ecological soil condition of Ukraine

It is shown the role of natural geochemical processes of migration of trace elements for forming of food chains. Calculations of the coefficients of water migration Co, Zn, Mo, Mn, Cu and ionic strength of waters of small rivers in Ukraine were made. Intensity of water migration of chemical elements were assessed by coefficient (Kx), complex mobility of certain groups of chemical elements in aqueous solutions was evaluated by the coefficient of ionic strength of solutions (CIS). It is shown that spatial imbalance of quantity of microelements Zn, Mo, Co, Mn, Cu in soils Ukraine related with water mobility of these elements and the degree of metamorphization of natural waters.

Trichodinids (Ciliophora, Peritrichia) Of Perccottus Glenii (Actinopterygii, Odontobutidae) In Three Ukrainian Rivers

Abstract Trichodinids (Ciliophora, Peritrichia) of Perccottus glenii (Actinopterygii, Odontobutidae) in Three Ukrainian Rivers. Drobiniak, O., Kutsokon, Yu., Kvach, Yu. — The Chinese sleeper Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877 (Actinopterygii, Odontobutidae), alien for Ukrainian rivers, was examined for presence of trichodinids (Ciliopora, Peritrichia). Six species belonging to the genus Trichodina were found: Trichodina acuta Lom, 1961; T. intermedia Lom, 1961; T. mutabilis Kazubski et Migala, 1968; T. nigra Lom, 1960; T. pediculus Ehrenberg, 1838; T. perforata Lom, Golemansky et Grupcheva, 1976. For the first time for Chinese slipper, T. perforata and T. intermedia were recorded. Morphometric data of all found species were compared with those from previous descriptions.

Recent State and Mechanisms of Invasions of Exotic Decapods in Ukrainian Rivers

Abstract Lower reaches of largest Ukrainian rivers are zones of migrations for exotic euryhaline decapods. During 2000s new records of invasions of three euryhaline exotic decapods, Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould, 1841), Eriocheir sinensis Milne-Edwards, 1853 and Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan, 1849), were made in the channels of Ukrainian rivers. Chinese mitten crab, E. sinensis, spread in the Danube Delta and reservoirs of the Dnieper River; Rh. harrisii - in the channels of the Danube, Dnieper, Southern Bug and small river Gruzskij Yelanchik in the Azov Sea Basin; M. nipponense that was introduced in the Kuchurgan Liman (cooler reservoir of the Moldavian Hydro-power Station) - in the Dniester Delta. The migration zone of the established population can cover significant part of river watershed; it is necessary to take this fact into account at an estimation of biological invasion risk. Main problem in the investigation of exotic decapods in Ukrainian waters is absence of specialized methods used in the standard ecological monitoring. Among euryhaline exotic decapods, only Rh. harrisii is sometimes sampled with the equipment used in the monitoring of macrozoobenthos. A few records of these species at the large extent of their supposed ways of migration are the result of gaps in the study of their distribution in Ukrainian inland waters. Realistic attitude toward this fact is very important for the estimation of invasions in the inland waters of this region.

Genotoxicity and oxidative stress biomarkers in Carassius gibelio as endpoints for toxicity testing of Ukrainian polluted river waters

This study aimed to assess oxidative stress and genotoxicity biomarkers in Prussian carp Carassius gibelio laboratory-exposed to water from polluted Ukrainian rivers in order to evaluate their usefulness as endpoints in a short-term bioassay for toxicity testing of freshwaters. The micronucleus (MN) test and the frequency of cells with double nuclei (DN) in erythrocytes and gill cells were used as indicators of chromosome aberrations and abnormalities in cell divisions, respectively. Cellular antioxidant defenses i.e. antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase, total glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase) and oxidative damage, i.e. lipid peroxidation (measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) in the fish liver were used as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Exposure to the polluted river water samples for 96 h resulted in significantly increased MN and DN frequencies, limited increases in antioxidant enzyme activities and no changes in lipid peroxidation. Results suggest that MN and DN frequencies in C gibelio are useful endpoints in a short-term bioassay for genotoxicity testing of environmental water samples in contrast to the oxidative stress biomarkers applied that showed low potential for assessing sublethal effects after a 96 h exposure.

Saponin as a Factor of Mass Fish Mortality in the Rivers of Ukraine

Saponin as a Factor of Mass Fish Mortality in the Rivers of Ukraine