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HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS AS A RESULT OF MILITARY ACTIONS IN UKRAINE

HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS AS A RESULT OF MILITARY ACTIONS IN UKRAINE

ISSN 2223-6775 Ukrainian journal of occupational health Vol.21, No 3, 2025

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2025.03.206

HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH HEAVY METALS AS A RESULT OF MILITARY ACTIONS IN UKRAINE

Full article (PDF), UKR

Introduction. Contamination of environmental media with heavy metals (HM) has long represented a significant medical and ecological concern in Ukraine. This problem has been substantially exacerbated by the onset of the full-scale war with the Russian Federation, characterized by intensive military operations and the use of various types of weapons and ammunition. Heavy metals are classified as hazardous anthropogenic pollutants due to their high cumulative capacity, pronounced toxicity, and polytropic effects on biological systems. Monitoring HM concentrations in environmental objects (air, soil, and water) and assessing their potential health risks are essential for protecting both workers and populations residing in contaminated areas. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of soil contamination with heavy metals resulting from active military operations and to evaluate their potential hazard to human health.

Materials and methods. Forty soil samples collected from territories affected by military actions were analyzed. Sampling was conducted in accordance with national standards (DSTU) by specialists of the D.K. Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In both control and experimental samples, the total concentrations of chemical elements (mg/kg) were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with a SER-01 ELVAX analyzer (Ukraine), following the manufacturer’s guidelines. Based on the analytical results, soil contamination hazard coefficients, including the total contamination index (Zc) and the integral hazard index (IS), were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Statistica 6 software.

Results. Active military operations in Ukraine were found to cause soil contamination with heavy metals, the qualitative and quantitative composition of which depended on the type of weaponry and ammunition used. Following shelling by barrel artillery, priority soil pollutants included Pb > Hg > V > Fe > Rb > Co > Ti, with concentrations exceeding background levels by 25% to 220%. Soil samples collected after an aerial bomb explosion showed a different contamination profile (V > Hg > Cr > Bi > Cu > Zn), with excesses ranging from 25% to 93% above background values. After explosions of Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), elevated levels of Sn and Cd predominated (increases of 8.4- and 6.6-fold, respectively), along with increased concentrations of Al > Zn > V > Sb > Mo > Co (exceeding background values by 30% to 82%). According to calculated Zc and IS indices, soils contaminated by MLRS Grad explosions (Zc = 18.9; IS = 68.2) and barrel artillery shelling (Zc = 8.5; IS = 28.8) were classified as hazard class 5 and characterized as “very poor.” Soils affected by aerial bomb explosions were less hazardous (Zc = 5.3; IS = 16.4) and classified as hazard class 4 (“poor”).

Conclusion. Soil contamination in Ukraine with toxic heavy metals resulting from active military operations conducted by the Russian Federation necessitates systematic environmental monitoring. Such monitoring is essential for identifying health hazards, determining the extent and severity of soil contamination, and supporting decision-making regarding soil remediation and the safe future use of affected territories for population needs.

Keywords: military operations, heavy metals, soil contamination, hazard assessment.

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