Sea of Azov: problems and interesting facts. Ecological problems of the Azov Sea and its coasts

The Sea of Azov is a unique object of the environment. Everyone understands the importance of keeping it clean as a source of not only material but also spiritual wealth. This once-great natural object needs serious protection.

The Sea of Azov, whose problems - a bad ecological condition as a result of economic activity of coastal countries, is going through hard times. In the last decade, the volume of environmental activities has significantly decreased , which, without exaggeration, threatens to catastrophe.

During the existence of the USSR, the state implemented a relatively successful policy of protecting the hydrosphere. In the 90s, both Russia and Ukraine underwent large-scale economic and political changes, against which background environmental issues were abandoned. However, because of the recession, the load on the ecosystem has also dropped.

Once the countries of the region touched on economic growth, the adverse impact on the environment has increased. By 2008, the volume of industrial production in Russia and Ukraine exceeded the level that existed in the USSR. The proportion of waste and other contaminants in the sea with wastewater increased proportionally.

What is the Sea of Azov?

It refers to the lateral basin of the Black Sea from the north-east, connecting with the last Kerch strait. This is the smallest sea in the world. The average depth of the Sea of Azov even in the most "serious" places does not exceed 13.5 m, and the width of the strait is 4.2 km. Its extreme points are located at latitudes 45 ° 12'30 "and 47 ° 17'30", longitudes 33 ° 38 'and 39 ° 18'. In general, the average depth of the Azov Sea ranges from 6.8 to 8 meters. The greatest length of its 343 km, the maximum distance in width is 231 km. The surface of the sea surface is 37605 km, and the coastline is stretched for 1472 km.

The Sea of Azov, whose temperature is subject to large seasonal changes, is a relatively small body of water. In its relief, this flat sea with low banks. The geographical position, undoubtedly, gives it its own characteristics. Perhaps not everyone knows that the most continental on the planet is the Sea of Azov. Its temperature in the summer is +24 ... +26 ° С. In winter it freezes completely or partially, in the spring ice is carried through the strait into the Black Sea.

The salinity of the Sea of Azov is rather low. On average, it is three times less than the usual salinity of the ocean waters. This value is about 1 ppm in the region of the confluence of the Don and increases to 10.5 ppm closer to the central part. In the area of the Kerch Strait salinity of the Azov Sea reaches a maximum - 11.5 pro mil.

What do we know about its inhabitants? The Azov Sea, whose biological resources were initially large enough, now has 103 species of fish. Biomass of plankton reaches a size of 200 g per square meter. M.

Ecological problems of the Azov Sea

The main negatively affecting man-made factors are untreated sewage from rivers, containing household waste. The former world leader in fisheries, this sea has lost all its importance now. Now the content of phenols exceeds the MPC 7 times, thiocyanates - 12.6.

The main sources of marine pollution are the ports and industrial enterprises of Mariupol. The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works annually emits more than 800 million cubic meters of contaminated sewage into its waters.

They revealed the excess of MPC for nitrogen, iron, copper, zinc, oil products. Another major polluter is the commercial port of Mariupol. Its purification facilities are completely ineffective - in the water area pollution indicators are higher than elsewhere.

What worries environmentalists

Experts are concerned about the growth in sulfur volumes, which are being reloaded in the Ukrainian ports, as well as the deterioration of the water intake systems built half a century ago, the lack of sewerage systems in many villages and cities, which causes dirty water directly into the sea. According to statistics, the annual discharges to the Sea of Azov are 5 billion cubic meters.

Pollution of the offshore area by oil products because of cargo transportation and port activities took a catastrophic character.

Their concentration in the Azov Sea in places exceeds all conceivable limits. The content of pesticides reaches 40 mg / l. Because of spilled oil, oxygen exchange is worsened, aquatic organisms are poisoned by pesticides. There is a massive fish loss. The water protection zone contains a lot of industrial and domestic waste.

Dangerous fishing

Other environmental problems of the Azov Sea are associated with its inhabitants. Bottom trawling has long been officially banned, but, nevertheless, it is applied almost everywhere. As a result, the bottom places of fish habitat are destroyed, mollusks-filterers are killed - the fodder base of fish. The rising turbidity for several kilometers reduces the transparency of the water.

Only a part of fishing vessels has a permit to work by a seine with a catch restriction. But in fact the volumes are hidden. In addition, trawls are often used instead of seines, as a result of which not only fish stocks are destroyed, but also the places of spawning and feeding. The poaching catch in recent years has led to a decrease in production by 5 times.

Other moments

What else worries environmentalists? There are lots of questions, and their list is far from exhausted. This is the construction of reservoirs on the Don and Kuban (the main rivers of the Azov Sea), gradually turning into giant sedimentation tanks. And chemical contamination of surrounding soils as a result of the introduction of irrigated agriculture with rice sowing. And uncontrolled discharge of pesticides.

In addition, the problems of intensive construction of many recreation centers and boarding houses on the coast, which are conducted without observing any sanitary and ecological norms, negatively affect the Sea of Azov. At the same time, the natural state of beaches is disturbed and their potential is reduced.

Also a serious problem is dumping, that is, the dumping of ships and aircraft waste into the sea or their planned destruction. At the same time, pollution of sea water with mercury and lead occurs, which have the property of accumulating in its upper layers.

Sea of Azov - problems and solutions

The only possible way to solve urgent problems, environmental scientists consider a radical change of priorities for the region. It must be included in the minimization of production and the transition to fisheries and recreation. The port and transport infrastructure requires strict control of port and shipping activities, a reduction in the transport of hazardous and dangerous goods, the modernization of treatment facilities and the construction of new ones.

It can help reduce water consumption of production, increase fines for unauthorized discharge of sewage.

In coastal regions, the revision of the principles of agriculture, the rejection of crops grown using pesticides and dangerous fertilizers, the restoration of spawning grounds for fish and its migration routes are required.

Measures are needed to tighten the laws for the protection of the coastal zone and regular monitoring of the ecological state of the coastal and marine environment, a categorical ban on discharging untreated sewage and drainage waters into the sea.

What are the ways of cleaning today?

Physical and chemical methods

Mechanical cleaning is used when it is necessary to remove insoluble solid impurities. This is done by straining, filtering, settling and removing the particles of suspension by pressing and centrifugal force.

Chemical methods are used to eliminate soluble substances from water. To do this, reagents are used that reduce the toxicity or solubility of harmful impurities. Chemical methods: oxidation and reduction, neutralization, removal of metal ions.

Physicochemical methods, i.e., combined methods, allow to get rid of impurities in the form of emulsions and suspensions dissolved in water substances (both organic and inorganic). The names of the main methods: coagulation, ion exchange, deodorization, adsorption, degassing, flotation, ultrafiltration and others.

The thermal method is used when it is required to remove organic substances and mineral salts from sewage. This happens by concentrating the effluents and separating them from the sediment, oxidizing substances of organic origin with the help of pressure catalysts, and also neutralizing by fire.

Biochemical agents and methods

Such methods exist for the purification of water from most organic and partially inorganic elements dissolved in them. This process is built on the ability of certain plants and microorganisms to use harmful substances as food.

Such a purification process has two stages, the rate of which is different:

1. Adsorption of dissolved and finely dispersed impurities by microorganisms.

2. Destruction of a harmful substance intracellularly by a chemical process.

For almost non-oxidizable inorganic substances, the maximum concentration is established.

Where and how is the biochemical purification?

This method is possible in both artificial and natural conditions. The latter include irrigation fields, biological ponds, filtration, etc.

Irrigation fields are special areas, combining the cultivation of useful crops with wastewater treatment. If nothing is grown, these are filtration fields. Soil methods are now very popular as a way of intensifying plant growing.

Biological ponds complement the complex of treatment facilities. These are shallow water bodies, divided into sections. They work only in the summer.

Conclusion - in order to avoid an ecological catastrophe, a clear state policy for the protection of the marine ecosystem is required. If we do not start saving the Sea of Azov now, the problems can become irreversible.