Home Page   -   Åditorial Board   -   Instructions to autors   -   Archive   -   Contact   -   Journal's Indexing UA   EN


Last issue

¹ 4 (113), 2024


Support

Edition of the journal is supported partially by the grant of the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institute of Health and Illinois University, Chicago.

JOURNAL

ISSN 2077-7477 (Print)
ISSN 2077-7485 (Online)

A journal "Dovkillia ta zdorovia" (Environment & Health) publishes the articles on the problems in the field of medical ecology, hygiene, health protection and ecological safety.

Founder of the Journal:
State Institution "O.M. Marzeiev Institute for Hygiene and Medical Ecology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine"

Frequency of publication:
quarterly

Environment & HealthISSN: 2077-7477 eISSN: 2077-7485
No: 4 (113)   -   December, 2024   -   Pages: 38-44
The war in Ukraine: the problem of heavy metal contamination of agricultural land and products
Hulich M.P., Kharchenko O.O., Yemchenko N.L., Olshevska O.D., Lyubarska L.S.

ÓÄÊ: 613.2 : 614.78 : 615.9 : 623 : 633/635

ABSTRACT:
In the context of russia’s war against Ukraine, which is the most destructive, bloody and aggressive war in Europe since the Second World War, an extraordinary humanitarian crisis and a large-scale ecosystem disaster have arisen. The environment polluted by the war is a potential source of emission of harmful substances from the soil into food raw materials. This creates a significant threat of food contamination in large areas affected by the war. The work is devoted to the review of scientific literary sources and information bases of documents of the UN, FAO, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. The purpose of the work: to conduct an analysis of scientific data on the contamination of agricultural soils and the possibility of contamination of plant raw materials and food products in the conditions of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Materials and methods: informative, bibliographical, normative and legal. System-structural, formal-logical, bibliographic and informal [traditional] analysis methods were used.

The main results: the analysis of scientific data on the contamination of agricultural soils as a result of hostilities was carried out. The role of heavy metals in the pollution of plowed lands is considered. It was determined that military activity leads to soil contamination with heavy metals: lead, copper, cadmium, antimony, chromium, nickel, and zinc. At the same time, lead, chromium and copper are the dominant pollutants. The issue of the threat of contamination of food products with heavy metals and, taking into account their toxicity, the negative impact on the health of the population is highlighted.

Conclusions. The accumulation of heavy metals in the soils of areas of active hostilities indicates a negative effect on agriculture in the range from agricultural soils to crop production, and subsequently on people through the food chain. The development of a risk-oriented approach to the impact on the health of the population of food products contaminated with toxic substances, obtained in the territories contaminated as a result of military actions, is becoming highly relevant.

KEYWORDS:
military operations, heavy metals, environmental pollution, agricultural soils, food safety, public health
REFERENCES:
1. USSD. Indeks viiny. Monitorynh voiennykh konfliktiv u sviti 2022 roku [Index of war. Monitoring of military conflicts in the world in 2022]; Ukrainian. https://ussd.org.ua/2023/01/20/indeks-vijny-monitoryng-voyennyh-konfliktiv-u-sviti-2022-roku/
2. Patseva I, Alpatova O, Demchuk L, Kireitseva H, Levytskyi V. [The current state of the natural environment under the influence of war]. Ecological Sciences 2022;43(4):19-22. Ukrainian. https://doi.org/10.32846/2306-9716/2022.eco.4-43.3
3. Derzhavna ustanova «Instytut vsesvitnoi istorii NAN Ukrainy». Ekolohichni naslidky viiny Rosii proty Ukrainy [State institution «Institute of world history of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine» Environmental consequences of war of Russia against Ukraine]. Ukrainian. https://ivinas.gov.ua/viina-rf-protyukrainy/ekolohichni-naslidky-viiny-rosii-proty-ukrainy.html
4. Pylypenko VO. Katastrofichni ekolohichni naslidky viiny rosii proty Ukrainy [Catastrophic environmental consequences of war Russia against Ukraine]. In: Aktualni problemy suchasnoi nauky v doslidzhenniakh molodykh uchenykh, kursantiv ta studentiv [Actual problems of modern science in the research of young scientists, cadets and students : 2023 May 17, Vinnytsia]. Vinnytsia ; 2023 : 421-3. Ukrainian.
5. Rawtani D, Gupta G, Khatri N, Rao PK, Hussain CM. Environmental damages due to war in Ukraine: a perspective. Science of the Total Environment 2022 Aug :157932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157932
6. Kemmerling B, Schetter C, Wirkus L. The logics of war and food (in)security. Global Food Security 2022 Jun;33:100634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100634
7. Abay KA, Breisinger C, Glauber J, Kurdi S, Laborde D, Siddig K. The Russia-Ukraine war: implications for global and regional food security and potential policy responses. Global Food Security 2023 Mar;36:100675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2023.100675
8. IFPRI The Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to compound Sudan’s existing food security problems; 2022 Apr 6. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/russia-ukraine-conflict-likely-compound-sudans-existing-food-security-problems
9. IFPRI How will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect global food security?; 2022 Feb 24. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/how-will-russias-invasion-ukraine-affect-global-food-security
10. Shen Y, Feng Q, Sun X. Stability and risk contagion in the global sovereign CDS market under Russia-Ukraine conflict. The North American Journal of Economics and Finance 2024 Jun:102204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.najef.2024.102204
11. The importance of Ukraine and the russian federation for global agricultural markets and the risks associated with the war in Ukraine. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 2022. 47 p. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/bd0267ca-75a6-44d6-a387-7ebeb150630d/content
12. Home | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAOSTAT food balances (2010-); https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS
13. Investment Monitor. Which countries are most exposed to interruption in Ukraine food exports? 2022 Mar 2. https://www.investmentmonitor.ai/ukraine-crisis/countries-exposed-ukrainian-food-exports/
14. Pereira P, Bašiæ F, Bogunovic I, Barcelo D. Russian-Ukrainian war impacts the total environment. Science of the Total Environment 2022; 837:155865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155865
15. Anhurets O, Khazan P, Kolesnykova K, Kushch M, Chernokhova M, Havranek M. Ukraina, shkoda dovkilliu, ekolohichni naslidky viiny [Ukraine, shame environment, ecological consequences of war]; 2022. 84 p. Ukrainian. https://cleanair.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cleanair.org.ua-war-damages-ua-version-04-low-res.pdf
16. Vasyliuk O, Kolodezhna V. Yakoiu maie buty dolia poshkodzhenykh vybukhamy ukrainskykh terytorii? [What should be the fate of Ukrainian territories damaged by explosions?]. Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group. UWEC. 2022; (2): 3-11. Ukrainian. https://uwecworkgroup.info/uk/future-of-munitions-damaged-ukrainian-lands/
17. Ukraina OON poperedzhaie pro toksychni naslidky dlia ekolohii Ukrainy ta rehionu [Ukraine UN warns about toxic following for ecology Ukraine and the region]. Ukrainian. https://ukraine.un.org/uk/188876/
18. Odeska natsionalna naukova biblioteka. Ofitsiinyi veb-sait «Tysiacholittia dovkillia»: do dnia stvorennia Prohramy OON z okhorony navkolyshnoho seredovyshcha (YuNEP) [Odesa National Scientific Library. Official website «Millennium environment»: to the day of creation of the UN Program on Protection surrounding environment (UNEP)]. Ukrainian. http://odnb.odessa.ua/view_post.php?id=3939
19. Pankiv Z, Nakonechnyi Yu. Zemelni resursy. Praktykum [Land resources. Practicum]. Lviv: LNU imeni Ivana Franka; 2020. 196 p. Ukrainian.
20. Holubtsov O, Sorokina L, Splodytel A, Chumachenko S. Vplyv viiny rosii proty Ukrainy na stan ukrainskykh gruntiv. Rezultaty analizu [The impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the state of Ukrainian soils. Analysis results]. Kyiv; 2023. 32 p. Ukrainian
21. Kireitseva H, Demchyk L, Paliy O, Kahukina A. Toxic impacts of the war on Ukraine. International Journal of Environmental Studies. 2023 Jan 30:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2023.2170582
22. Stadler T, Temesi Á, Lakner Z. Soil chemical pollution and military actions: a bibliometric analysis. Sustainability 2022 Jun 10;14(12):7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127138
23. Broomandi P, Guney M, Kim JR, Karaca F. Soil contamination in areas impacted by military activities: a critical review. Sustainability. 2020 Oct 29;12(21):9002. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219002
24. Bazzi W, Abou Fayad AG, Nasser A, Haraoui LP, Dewachi O, Abou-Sitta G et al. Heavy metal toxicity in armed conflicts potentiates AMR in A. baumannii by selecting for antibiotic and heavy metal co-resistance mechanisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 2020 Feb 3;11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00068
25. Kharytonov MM, Stankevich SA, Titarenko OV, Doležalová Weisssmannová H, Klimkina II, Frolova LA. Geostatistical and geospatial assessment of soil pollution with heavy metals in Pavlograd city (Ukraine). Ecological Questions 2020 Apr 21;31(2):1. https://doi.org/10.12775/eq.2020.013
26. Barker AJ, Clausen JL, Douglas TA, Bednar AJ, Griggs CS, Martin WA. Environmental impact of metals resulting from military training activities: a review. Chemosphere 2021 Feb;265:129110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129110
27. Moon I, Kim H, Jeong S, Choi H, Park J, Lee I. Chemical properties of heavy metal-contaminated soils from a korean military shooting range: evaluation of pb sources using pb isotope ratios. Applied Sciences 2021 Jul 31;11(15):7099. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11157099
28. Sytar O, Prasad MN. Bioremediation and bioeconomy. Ed by Prasad MN. Elsevier; 2016. Production of biodiesel feedstock from the trace element contaminated lands in Ukraine; p. 3-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-802830-8.00001-0
29. Okereafor U, Makhatha M, Mekuto L, Uche-Okereafor N, Sebola T, Mavumengwana V. Toxic metal implications on agricultural soils, plants, animals, aquatic life and human health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020 Mar 25;17(7):2204. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072204
30. Sytar O, Taran N. Effect of heavy metals on soil and crop pollution in Ukraine – a review. Journal of Central European Agriculture. 2022 Oct 18; 23(4):881-7. https://doi.org/10.5513/jcea01/23.4.3603
31. Tasrina R, Rowshon A, Mustafizur A, Rafiqul I, Ali M. Heavy metals contamination in vegetables and its growing soil. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry. 2015;2(142):2-6. https://doi.org/10.4172/2380-2391.1000142
32. Zhou H, Yang WT, Zhou X, Liu L. Accumulation of heavy metals in vegetable species planted in contaminated soils and the health risk assessment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2016;13 (3) :289. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13030289
33. Charkiewicz A, Backstrand J. Lead Toxicity and Pollution in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(12):4385. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124385
34. Kurayeva I, Splodytel’ A. Rozpodil vazhkykh metaliv u systemi «hrunt-roslyna» v lanshaftakh pryrodookhoronnykh terytoriy [Distribution of heavy metals in the «soil-plant» system in landscapes of protected areas]. Heokhimiya tekhnohenezu [Geochemistry of technogenesis]. 2020;3(31):79-8936. Ukrainian. https://doi.org/10.15407/geotech
35. Sytar O, Kumari P, Yadav S, Brestic M. Phytohormone priming: regulator for heavy metal stress in plants. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 2019;38:739-52.
36. Alloway B. Heavy metals in soils. London: Blackie; 1990. 332 p.
37. Kupchyk O. Vyznachennya korelyatsiyi mizh vmistom vazhkykh metaliv u produktakh roslynnytstva ta hrunti pry ekolohichnomu monitorynhu [Determination of the correlation between the content of heavy metals in plant products and soil during ecological monitoring]. Ekolohichna bezpeka ta zbalansovane resursovykorystannia [Ecological Safety and Balanced Use of Resources]. 2016;1(13):85-91. Ukrainian.
38. Tarabrin V. Mikroelementy v okruzhayushchey srede [Microelements in the environment]. Kiev: Naukova dumka; 1980. Fiziologiya ustoychivosti drevesnykh rasteniy v usloviyakh zagryazneniya okruzhayushchey sredy tyazhelymi metallami [Physiology of the stability of woody plants in the conditions of pollution of the environment with heavy metals]; p. 17. Russian.
39. Manzoor J, Sharma M, Wani K. Heavy metals in vegetables and their impact on the nutrient quality of vegetables: a review. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 2018; 41(13): 1744-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2018.1462382
40. Taran N, Shevtsova T, Sytar O, Landi M, Shemet S. Toksychnist metaliv u vyshchykh roslyn [Toxicity of metals in higher plants]. Landi M., Shemet S., Fedenko V.S. eds. New-York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.; 2020. Zabrudnennya vazhkymy metalamy: vplyv na roslyny ta yizhu [Heavy Metal Pollution: Effects on Plants and Food]; p. 1-18.
41. Pipoyan D, Stepanyan S, Beglaryan M, Stepanyan S, Mendelsohn R, Deziel NC. Health risks of heavy metals in food and their economic burden in Armenia. Environment International. 2023 Feb:107794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107794
42. Dobrovolskyi V. Biosferni tsykly vazhkykh metaliv i rehuliatorna rol gruntu [Biosphere cycles of heavy metals and regulatory role of soil]. Hruntoznavstvo [Pedology]. 1997; (4):121-8. Ukrainian.
43. Skalny AV, Aschner M, Bobrovnitsky IP, Chen P, Tsatsakis A, Paoliello MM, Buha Djordevic A, Tinkov AA. Environmental and health hazards of military metal pollution. Environmental Research. 2021 Oct;201:111568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111568
44. Hrynova Ya, Kryshtop Ye. Problemy zabrudnennia navkolyshnoho seredovyshcha vazhkymy metalamy ta shliakhy yikh podolannia [Problems of environmental pollution with heavy metals and ways to overcome them]. Inzheneriia pryrodokorystuvannia [Engineering of nature management] 2021;19(1):111-9. Ukrainian. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6904034
45. Rybalova O, Bryhada O, Bondarenko O, Makarov Ye. Novyi metod otsinky ryzyku dlia zdorovia naselennia vid vplyvu zabrudnennia gruntiv vazhkymy metalamy [A new method of assessing the risk to public health from the effects of pollution. soils heavy metals]. Problemy nadzvychainykh sytuatsii [Problems extraordinary situations]. 2019;29(1):79-99. Ukrainian.
46. Jaishankar M, Tseten T, Anbalagan N, Mathew BB, Beeregowda KN. Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals. Interdisciplinary Toxicology. 2014 Jun 1;7(2):60-72. https://doi.org/10.2478/intox-2014-0009
47. Chalaia OS, Fatieieva NIu. Vplyv vazhkykh metaliv na orhanizm liudyny [Influence of heavy metals on organism people]. Visnyk Kharkivskoho natsionalnoho tekhnichnoho universytetu silskoho hospodarstva [Bulletin of the Kharkiv National Technical University university rural economy]. 2018;(190):110-6. Ukrainian.
48. Ostrovska SS, Abramov SV, Dychko EN, Vyselko AD, Konovalova OS, Danilchenko AK. Epigenetic effects of heavy metals of the environmental by the example of cadmium. Bulletin of Problems Biology and Medicine 2023;1(1):36. https://doi.org/10.29254/2077-4214-2023-1-168-36-43
49. Fatieieva N. Toksychna diia vazhkykh metaliv na zhyvi orhanizmy ta shliakhy yii zmenshennia [Toxic effect of heavy metals on living organisms and ways of its reduction]. Aktualni pytannia sohodennia [Current issues today]. 2018; 7: 107-110. 51. Niankovskyi S, Podolianska V. Osoblyvosti mikroelementnoho homeostazu ditei, yaki prozhyvaiut na terytorii suchasnoho mista, ta yoho vplyv na imunnu systemu [Peculiarities of microelement homeostasis of children living on the territory of a modern city and its influence on immune system]. Zdorovia dytyny [Child’s health]. 2022;67(7):118-24. Ukrainian. https://www.academia.edu/36296147/%D0%90%D0%BA%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%96_
Designed by: IPH NAMSU © Environment & Health, 2006-2025. All rights reserved.
Use of text and graphic materials of the site is allowed only upon written permission of the editoral board.