A Water Quality Assessment of the Former Soviet Union

About this book

A Water Quality Assessment of the Former Soviet Union focuses on water quality issues using examples from around the former Soviet Union. It covers the background to the natural water resources and composition of surface and ground waters in the former Soviet Union and then proceeds to examine the influence of human activity on those resources and water quality systems. With unique material previously unavailable in English, A Water Quality Assessment of the Former Soviet Union presents a detailed analysis of generic problems and possible solutions applicable beyond the former Soviet Union. It covers: * Salinization, eutrophication and acidification * Heavy metal, organic and microbial pollution * The ecological state of water bodies * Water quality monitoring systems in the former Soviet Union * The impact of pollution on fisheries With more than one hundred line illustrations and tables, the long-term detailed case studies of the Lower Don Basin, the Amu Darya river, the Rybinsk reservoir, the Dnieper river, Lakes Baikal and Ladoga, and water resources in Moscow and the Moscow region, will enable valuable lessons in environmental management to be learnt. A Water Quality Assessment of the Former Soviet Union in a valuable source of up-to-date information and case studies for professionals in government, national and international organizations, and water utilities. It will be an essential reference in research institutes and university libraries. I.A Shiklomanov, V.Y Georgievsky, M.P Polkanov, V.V Tsirkunov, V.G Drabkova, G.M Chernogaeva, V.P Zakutin, A.V Zhulidov, V.M Emetz, V.S Petrosian, Y.Y Vinnikov, L.V Boeva, T.A Sergeeva, V. Abakumov

Contents

Foreword. Acknowledgements. NATURAL WATER RESOURCES. Landscape. Geological structure. Climate. Main characteristics of water bodies. Water resources. Water balance. Characteristics of river water regimes. Suspended matter. References. Appendix 1. NATURAL COMPOSITION OF SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATERS. Rivers. Lakes. Groundwater. References. Appendix 2. WATER USE AND THE INFLUENCE OF ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITY. Water use and its influence on water balance. Sources of pollution. Pollution of groundwater. Wastewater treatment. Water legislation. References. WATER QUALITY MONITORING SYSTEMS. General description. Surface water quality. Monitoring groundwaters. Monitoring pollution sources. Advantages and disadvantages. References. SALINISATION. Main sources of salinisation of surface waters. General salinisation trends in surface water. The impact of irrigation on groundwater quality. References. EUTROPHICATION OF LAKES AND RESERVOIRS. The study of eutrophication. Origins of lake eutrophication. Biological indicators of anthropogenic eutrophication. Rate of eutrophication. Consequences of eutrophication. References. GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION BY NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS. Occurrence and control of nitrogen compounds. Intensity of pollution with nitrogen compounds. Spatial distribution of nitrogen. Vertical variation of nitrogen compounds. Phosphorus. Conclusions. References. HEAVY METALS, NATURAL VARIABILITY AND ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS. Methods of sampling, sample preparation and analysis. Trends in river and lake waters and bottom sediments. Natural geographic variability in freshwater bodies and wetlands. Water bodies exposed to extreme anthropogenic pollution. Heavy metals in the aquatic food web. Heavy metals in freshwater biota. References. Appendix 8. ORGANIC POLLUTANTS. Chemical and biochemical oxygen demand. Petroleum products. Synthetic surfactants. Phenols. Pesticides. Specific pollutants. Background contamination of surface waters and bottom sediments. Case studies of organic pollution in selected water bodies. References. Appendix 9. MICROBIAL POLLUTION. Microbiological indicators of water quality. Microbial pollution of surface waters. Microbial pollution of drinking water. Seasonal dynamics of microbial water pollution. Assessment of the epidemic potential of polluted water. Assessment of combined effects of microbial and chemical pollution on human health. Methods for the protection of water sources from microbial pollution. References. Appendix 10. ACIDIFICATION. Acidity of atmospheric precipitation. Natural acidity of surface waters. Lake water acidification. Sources and effects of acidification on Karelia and Kola Peninsula lakes. River water acidification. Conclusion. References. RIVER FLUXES. Water discharge and flux of suspended matter. Transport of major ions and silicon. Fluxes of organic matter and nutrients. Transport of metal tra

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