The Current Ecological and Geochemical State of the Small Tributaries of the Baikal Lake (the Listvyanka Village is an Example)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to give a modern ecological and geochemical assessment of the state of small watercourses of Listvyanka and the coastal waters of the lake Baikal. Materials and methods. In the second decade of October, in the period from 2015 to 2020, to assess the current ecological and geochemical state, samples were taken from small tributaries of the Listvyanka, as well as from the coastal waters of the lake Baikal. The following parameters were determined in the samples: pH, dissolved oxygen concentrations, the content of petroleum products, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium ions and phosphate ions. Results and discussions. The reaction of the medium of the considered water bodies is predominantly alkaline, fresh water, refers to bicarbonate-calcium. In some years, there has been an increase in the proportion of sulfates and chloride ions. The comparison of modern data on the content of anions and cations in the coastal waters of the lake with data for 1957 was carried out, it was found that the proportion of sulfate ions has now increased. The content of dissolved oxygen in water samples complies with sanitary standards. Petroleum products are defined at a level below sanitary standards. There is a tendency according to which the concentration of petroleum products in the coastal part of the lake is higher than in its small tributaries. The excess of sanitary standards for fisheries reservoirs in terms of the content of nitrite ions in the waters of small tributaries of lake Baikal and in the coastal part of the lake itself was revealed. Conclusions. In general, the quality of the waters of the considered small tributaries flowing through the territory of Listvyanka, as well as the coastal waters of the lake Baikal, complies with established sanitary standards.