Laboratory of Geochemistry of Natural Waters (10)

Planned project results:

The intended outcomes of the project include scientific findings as such, as well as new technologies, particularly modeling and observational tools and methodical packages. Academic programs and learning resources will also be developed.

The project is designed to lead to emergence of a new thrust area in Earth science, setting up a scientific basis and methodology for predicting propagation of pollutants in river systems. For the first time, a system of knowledge will be generated about common principles of formation and transformation of a wide range of toxic elements and substances in multi-scale river basins of Russian Federation.

This expertise will be highly demanded not only for assessing the impacts of climate change, but also for understanding technological hazards, including man-made disasters resulting from deliberate provocation, terrorist attacks, and military action.

Anticipated scientific results will enable development of relevant decision-making systems and be used to predict potential environmental hazards and to develop state-of-the-art regulation systems for contaminants, based on regional clarks of microelements, as applied to major river basins of Russian Federation.

The intended scientific research is deemed to be a well-timed response to the “grand challenge” of increasing anthropogenic pressure on the environment, which causes a hazard to the sustainability of natural resources and increases risks arising from their ineffective use to life and health of members of the public.
Russia is one of the richest countries in water resources, with the availability of so many large, medium size and small rivers creating its uniqueness and offering an opportunity of a breakthrough in the new proposed area of Earth Science to ensure technological sovereignty of the country.