The Zhytomyr region of Ukraine has been severely affected by the military conflict. In order to overcome its consequences and ensure sustainable development in line with environmental standards, it is necessary to accurately record, study and assess the extent of the ecological catastrophe, and to develop a system of indicators describing these phenomena. Explosions, fires and accidents of various magnitudes, including incidents at oil storage facilities, have occurred in the study area. The damage caused leads to risks such as erosion, soil contamination, and disruption of geo- and bio-ecosystems.
Contaminants accumulate in the soil and are subsequently released into other environments. The mobility of pollutants in the environment depends on the physicochemical properties of the soil, including its granulometric and mineralogical composition, humus content, cation exchange capacity, pH level, etc. The prediction of contaminant migration can be facilitated by the identification of landscape and geochemical barriers. Planning for the restoration of the geo-environment should take into account the level of pollution, the extent of damage, and the landscape and geochemical conditions that influence the transport of pollutants.
The study will analyse satellite imagery to identify war-damaged areas and assess the extent of damage. Soil samples will be taken in the affected areas to determine concentrations of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, iron, zinc, cadmium, aluminium and copper. These metals are the most frequent sources of contamination to soil from explosive devices. In addition, the presence of sulphur and nitrogen compounds from petroleum products will be assessed. The adsorptive, structural and textural properties of soils and their role in contaminant transport will be investigated, as well as the influence of geochemical barriers on contaminant retention.
The results will be used to develop recommendations to address soil contamination and erosion, as well as to propose monitoring protocols and strategies for the protection of damaged areas.