Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2021 number 4

Ecological consequences of a large landslide on the shores of the Bureya reservoir For the first time in the winter period (December 2018), a landslide occurred on the Bureya reservoir, the largest in Russia in the last decade. This phenomenon is not typical for Khabarovsk krai. Results from investigating toxic organic matter in the water and aufeis in the zone of influence of the landslide and after the collapse of the dam composed of rocks are discussed. A comparative analysis of aromatic compounds by gas chromatography in the water around the landslide body before and after explosions in the resulting artificial canal has been carried out. Among dominant components in the water, a number of toxic substances were detected, including methanol and methylated benzene derivatives, the concentration of which increased after drainage of water through the landslide body. It was found that a large number of volatile organic substances had a natural origin and could be contained in the pore space of rocks. After explosive blasting, an increase in the content of hexane and isopropyl benzene was observed in the water of the artificial canal. It has been established that the composition of volatile organic substances has been influenced to a greater extent by rock grinding both immediately after the landslide and after the explosive blasting. Ecological risks for the reservoir ecosystem are associated with the formation of aromatic compounds as a result of various biogeochemical processes occurring in the pore space during watering of rocks, during their thawing/freezing, the transformation of vegetal debris and detonation products of explosives.