Railway operation can result in the significant environment contamination with heavy metals. The aim of the study was to broaden the knowledge about the railway transport as a source of heavy metals. Railway ballast stones and herbicides were chosen as the objects of the research since these...

Green spaces in an industrially polluted city are extremely important for the physical activity and mental health of its inhabitants. The study aim was to analyze the urban green space dynamics and the greening degree of different functional zones typical for a big Ukrainian industrial city (Dnipro, Ukraine). This article used the remote sensing methods and geographic information systems (GIS) to assess the percentage of green spaces in the city of Dnipro, its eight districts, parks, ravines, and sanitary protection zones. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used for mapping the urban green spaces within the ravines, parks, and sanitary protection zones. According to our results, 67% of Dnipro city is greened (NDVI >0.3). On average, there are 219 m ² of green spaces per person, which is 24 and 4 times more than the minimum and optimal values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), respectively. It was found that the NDVI values were significantly lower in the territories of sanitary protection zones, compared to the other functional zones. The results of NDVI analysis indicate a significant variation of the studied parameter during the vegetative season, with two typical peaks of the green space vegetative activity. The peak of plant vegetative activity occurs in the first decade of June, followed by slight decline for 2–3 weeks, then there is another increase in the activity, reaching the maximum in mid-July. Even in autumn, the photosynthetic activity remains relatively high for most of the urban areas, declining only from mid-October. In addition, a method and algorithm for estimating and standardizing the level of the urban area greening based on the remote sensing methods and zonal statistics tools are proposed.

Purpose. The scientific paper aims at analyzing the current state of the railway infrastructure soil contamination with heavy metals (HM), namely, the three stations of Prydniprovska railway: Kamianske-Pasazhyrske, Zaporizhzhia-Kamianske and Trytuzna. Methodology. The research object is the soil of the above mentioned railway stations, the research subject is the total content of HM. Sampling was carried out every 15 m between and outside both rails up to the end of railway ties. The total area of the investigated sites is 600 m². The total form of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Mn concentration was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. The obtained data were compared with the background concentration of HM for Dnipropetrovsk oblast and the results of analyzing the reference control located at a distance of 250 m from the railway stations. Findings. It is found out that rail transport is a source of HM emission into soil. The findings indicate that the soil state of the Kamianske-Pasazhyrske station corresponds to a low ecological risk and a low degree of pollution, since the station is a passenger one only and pollution occurs mostly due to the friction of wheels and rails and that of the pantograph and overhead system, as well as the pesticide use. The soil contamination of the Zaporizhzhia-Kamianske station is characterized by a considerable potential environmental risk and a very high degree of pollution. This station is a cargo-passenger one, and this pollution level is mainly due to loading and unloading processes. The soil of the Trytuzna station is characterized by an average potential ecological risk and a moderate degree of pollution. Although this station is mainly used for the freight trains reformation, but due to the transportation of large volumes of bulk ore cargoes HM fall into soil. Besides, the station is not electrified. Recommendations for assessment of the soil pollution levels are given. Originality. For the first time the potential ecological risk of soil contamination was determined on the basis of the physical and chemical analysis of the HM content in the soil of the above-mentioned stations. Practical value. The results of the study can be used as a justification of the reasonability of introducing the environmental monitoring programs for the railway land, the environmental protection measures for the soil treatment from HM, correcting the railway exclusion zone, as well as protection of adjacent territories from the propagation and accumulation of the mentioned pollutants. The necessity and urgency of the constant control of the HM content in the railway soil and the relevance of the research continuation in this scientific direction are confirmed on the basis of the received data.

Soil pollution is a global threat that seriously affects biodiversity in (agro)ecosystems and may compromise water and food quality. Therefore, the ability of tree species (Populus tremula, Salix caprea, and Betula pendula) to accumulate and phytoextract specific toxic heavy metals from soil was investigated. The study was conducted in and near relict mining areas of Freiberg (Germany) and sampling sites selected according to their spatial location relative to potential sources of metal(loid)s. The concentrations of geogenic (P, Fe, Mn, Ca) and pollutant (Pb, Cd, Zn, As) elements in soil and the present trees were measured using ICP-MS. The highest total soil concentrations of As (8978 µg g⁻¹) were found within the Davidschaft mining area, and for soil Pb, both in the Davidschaft vicinity (328 µg g⁻¹) and mining area (302 µg g⁻¹). Unexpectedly, the highest soil Zn (0.64 mg g⁻¹) and Cd (3.5 mg g⁻¹) concentrations were found in Freiberg city Forest. The lowest soil concentrations of pollutants (As, Cd, Pb, and Zn) were recorded for Seifersdorf. Total soil P was highest in Colmnitz, but Ca, Mn, and Fe concentrations were very similar across all sites. The available concentration of all measured toxic elements in the soil generally decreased in the order Davidschaft > Davidschaft vicinity, Colmnitz > Seifersdorf = Freiberg city forest. All studied tree species had higher concentrations of the essential elements in leaves than in branches. Generally, higher values of bioaccumulation coefficients (especially for Cd) were found for Salix caprea compared with Populus tremula and Betula pendula.

Представлено результати досліджень перспективи організації залізничних туристичних перевезень в Закарпатському регіоні з позиції впливу на потенційні екологічні об’єкти, що знаходяться в сфері впливу залізничної інфраструктури. На базі геоінформаційної системи та системи управління базами даних розроблено інформаційно-аналітичну систему підтримки управлінських рішень для забезпечення високого рівня екологічності туристичних перевезень на фоні економічної рентабельності – «SAER»