Toxicity of vapor-gas flows from technogenic substance
Authors: Bortnikova Svetlana B. , Mytsik Alexey V. , Edelev Aleksey V. , Khvachevskaya Albina A. 
Published: April 2024

The relevance. Vapor-gas flows from technogenic substances (storage wastes of the mining industry), carrying a high amount of potentially toxic elements, are a big problem for the environment and the population, because metals and metalloids in the composition of emanations are in an easily digestible bioavailable forms and are able to easily penetrate into living organisms. The main aim of this study is an assessment of toxicity for living organisms of air mixtures containing gaseous products emitted by a surfaces of mine tailings freely located near settlements and under the influence of climatic factors and microorganisms. Methods. Carrying out experiments with white rats male Wistar, analysis of organs for the content of a wide range of elements by ICP-MS on a NexION 300D mass spectrometer (PerkinElmer, USA) (PNL  GGC IShPR TPU). In the experiment, a pooled sample of the waste substance was used. The sample was analyzed for the content of oxides of the silicate group by XRF using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer ARL-9900-XP (Thermo Electron Corporation, Switzerland) at the Laboratory of X-ray Spectral Analysis Methods of the IGM SB RAS; elemental analysis was carried out by ICP-MS using an ELAN-9000 DRC-e instrument Perkin Elmer, USA (HAC Plasma). Results. Under the influence of vapor-gas emanations from the substance of arsenide tailings of the Tuvacobalt plant on a group of rats male Wistar, pathological changes occurred in the experimental group. Small foci of hemorrhages formed in the lungs, the tissues became edematous and inflamed. The liver of all animals increased, the share structure became sharply expressed, the color became light beige. Single hemorrhages were found in the kidneys. The vessels of the meninges are dilated, petechial hemorrhages are observed. The synthetic function of cells and the stability of cellular and intracellular membranes were disrupted, first of all, the endothelium of blood vessels was affected, the physiological functioning of organs and tissues was disrupted with the accumulation of intermediate products of biochemical reactions, determined macroscopically. Also, dystrophy of internal organs was determined, in particular, the liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Elemental analysis of animal organs showed the accumulation of toxic elements in comparison with the control group. The most characteristic elements, the excess of which was recorded in most cases, are mercury and arsenic. They were unevenly distributed throughout the organs. Mercury accumulated mainly in the lungs, kidneys and liver, while arsenic accumulated mainly in the liver and brain. This may indicate the entry of mercury and arsenic ions in a biologically available form into the bloodstream by inhalation, and local irritating and toxic effects on the lungs were not prevailing, and the liver was the most damaged organ according to the results of toxicochemical and morphological studies. The homeostasis of micro and macro elements is finely regulated, and any concentration imbalance in the form of a deficiency leads to a progressive decrease and disruption of normal biological function, to severe physiological and clinical outcomes, which we observed from the results of the experiment. The data obtained proved the acute toxic effect of vapor-gas flows on living organisms, and also confirmed the possibility of the removal of many chemical elements in easily accessible and assimilable forms.