This study explores the sorption capacity and field application of activated carbons (ACs) derived from plant residues for the remediation of oil-contaminated soils. ACs were prepared from rice husks, reed stalks, pine sawdust and wheat straw using two-stage pyrolysis and chemical activation with potassium hydroxide. The structural and physicochemical properties of these ACs were analyzed using BET surface area measurements, SEM analysis, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Sorption experiments at room temperature demonstrated that AC from rice husks (OSL) exhibited the highest sorption capacities for gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel, with values of 9.3 g/g, 9.0 g/g and 10.1 g/g, respectively. These results are attributed to the well-developed microporous and mesoporous structures of OSL, as confirmed by SEM images and a BET surface area of 2790 m²/g. Field tests conducted at the “Zhanatalap” oil deposit showed that the ACs effectively reduced the oil content in contaminated soils from 79.2 g/kg to as low as 2.6 g/kg, achieving a purification degree of up to 67% within 16 days. This study highlights the critical role of structural properties, such as porosity and graphitization degree, in enhancing the sorption efficiency of ACs.

This study investigates the potential of biochar derived from various biomass sources: apricot kernel (AK), pine sawdust (PS), rice husk (RH), wheat straw (WS), and reed stem (RS) to enhance the yield, nutritional quality, and environmental sustainability of parsley crops. Comprehensive characterization through SEM, EDAX, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, and FTIR analyses identified AK biochar as the most suitable for further enrichment due to its superior specific surface area (512.3 m²/g) and iodine number (51.23 mg/g). EDAX analysis revealed that AK biochar exhibited the highest carbon content (92.1%), while RH biochar contained the highest silicon content (46%), indicating different potential applications. FTIR analysis identified key functional groups, such as carbonyl (1740 cm⁻¹) and hydroxyl (3430 cm⁻¹) groups, which contribute to the biochar’s reactivity and potential effectiveness in various applications. The effects of selenium (Na₂SeO₄), iodine (KI), their combination (Na₂SeO₄ + KI), and BISF (biochar‐enriched iodine and selenium fertilizer) on parsley growth, antioxidant properties, and nutrient accumulation were evaluated. The results demonstrated that joint applications of iodide and selenate led to a 3.1‐fold increase in iodine content (up to 16.8 mg/kg d.w.) and a 1.2‐fold increase in selenium accumulation (up to 2482.1 μg/kg d.w.) in parsley compared to separate treatments. Additionally, BISF treatment significantly improved key biometric parameters, with leaf weight increasing by 1.6 times (up to 326.5 g) compared to the control, and antioxidant content—ascorbic acid, polyphenols, and antioxidant activity—showing increases of 1.56, 1.27, and 1.50 times, respectively. This study underscores the effectiveness of selenium‐ and iodine‐enriched biochar in enhancing parsley crop yield and nutritional quality while also demonstrating the multifunctional role of biochar in environmental remediation.

This study investigates the characteristics of activated carbons derived from biomass plant residues: rice husk (OSL) of the genus Oryza, reed stalks (PhAC) of the genus Phragmites, pine sawdust (PSL) of the genus Pinus, and wheat straw (TAL) of the genus Triticum. Activation was carried out using potassium hydroxide, employing a two-stage pyrolysis under air. The study examined the influence of activation temperature, duration, concentration of the impregnating agent, and impregnation time. Characteristics such as sorbent porosity, bulk density, and hydrocarbon sorption capacity were determined. Adsorption capacity was assessed using BET analysis and the iodine number determination method, with the highest iodine number achieved being 2809 mg/g, indicating high adsorption capability. The structural morphology of the activated carbons was evaluated by SEM, and their chemical surface characteristics were identified by IR spectroscopy. Computational analysis of the nitrogen sorption isotherms using the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (B-J-H) method and the Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) equation showed that activated carbon samples from rice husk and pine sawdust possess a developed specific surface area and contain micro- and mesopores. The Dubinin-Astakhov (D-A) approach was used to study the pore diameter of activated carbon, revealing significant findings on pore structure. The maximum micropore volume was found in activated carbon samples from pine sawdust (PSL), measuring 0.46 cm³/g. All activated carbon samples of plant origin were tested under field conditions for the remediation of oil-contaminated areas near the “Zhanatalap” oil field in the Atyrau region. By the 16th day, the oil-contaminated soil treated with rice husk activated carbon was cleaned by 67.1%.

In recent years, due to the increasing anthropogenic load on the environment, research has inten-sified to identify local plants-phytoremediators of heavy metals. In the article have been considered the phytoremediation capacity of lawn grasses and sunflowers to adsorb heavy metals such as zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper from the soil on the territory of the Ulbi metallurgical complex in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Currently, the search for plants that accumulate heavy metals is actively underway. Based on a review of literature data, among species with the ability to phytoremediation, sunflower plants (Heliantus annuus L.) and a grass mixture of different species belong to Poaceaefamily (Agropyron repens (L.) P. Beauv. (wheatgrass),Bromus inermis Leyss. (brome), Agrostis alba L.(bentgrass) and Dactylis glomerata L. (urchin) were used as research objects. The choice of objects of study is also justified by the fact that sunflower has a large vegetative mass and, accordingly, its ab-sorption and accumulation capacity for heavy metals is higher, and lawn grasses grow everywhere and their accumulation capacity, as the results of experiments have shown, is also large. The correlation between the degree of soil contamination with heavy metals and the intensity of their entry into plants was shown. Thus, the content of zinc in the soil can be reduced by 22.5%, cadmium by 31%, lead by 40.7%, copper by 29.4% due to adsorb capacity of phytoremediators. It has been established that the intensity of absorption of heavy metals is higher in corn plants compared with plants from the grass mixture. The experimental results may be useful for the development of technology for phytoremedia-tion of soils contaminated with heavy metals.

Nowadays, the basis of the production of phosphorous and phosphorous fertilizers in the Republic of Kazakhstan is concentrated at the mineral fertilizers plant of "Kazphosphate" LLP in Zhambyl region. One of the current problems is the study of the negative impact on the ecosystem as a result of the storage of phosphogypsum in the landfills of the mineral fertilizers plant formed during the decomposition of phosphate raw materials, and the study of the self-healing process of an object exposed to anthropogenic impact. The research purpose - ecological assessment of the soil cover exposed in phosphogypsum dumps and the assessment of reclamation potential of this object. The data obtained as a result of the study can be used in the future to monitor objects where fofogypsa residues have accumulated, and for restoration work of damaged soil coverings. During the research were used chemical, geobotanical and landscape-ecological methods. Analysis of the total phosphorus content in soil samples in the study area showed that its toxicity in all objects is not dangerous. It can be seen that the mobile content of zinc and copper in all the obtained soil samples did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration, and the concentration of cadmium in all the obtained points exceeded the maximum permissible concentration and in all other directions except the east increased as it moved away from the center. The self-healing potential of the soil and vegetation cover, conditionally obtained by us, impact-buffer-background zones, respectively, very low-low-satisfactory. В настоящее время основа производства фосфорных и фосфорных удобрений в Республике Казахстан сосредоточена в Жамбылской области. Одной из актуальных проблем является изучение негативного воздействия, оказываемого на экосистему в результате хранения фосфогипса в отвалах завода минеральных удобрений, образующихся в процессе разложения фосфатного сырья, и изучение процесса самовосстановления обьекта, подверженного антропогенному воздействию. Целью нашей исследовательской работы является экологическая оценка почвенного покрова, подвергнутого воздействию в отвалах фосфогипса, и оценка потенциала рекультивации этого обьекта. Полученные в результате исследования данные могут быть использованы в дальнейшем для мониторинга объектов, на которых накапливались остатки фофогипса, и для восстановительных работ поврежденных почвенных покрытий. В ходе исследования были использованы химические, геоботанические и ландшафтно-экологические методы. Анализ содержания общего фосфора в почвенных образцах в зоне исследования показал, что токсичность его во всех обьектах не опасна. Видно, что подвижное содержание цинка и меди во всех полученных почвенных образцах не превышало ПДК, а концентрация кадмия во всех полученных точках превышала ПДК и во всех других направлениях, кроме востока увеличивалась по мере удаления от центра. А потенциал самовосстановления почвенного и растительного покрова условно полученных нами импактно-буферно-фоновых зон, соответственно, очень низок-низок-удовлетворителен. Қазіргі таңда, Қазақстан Республикасында фосфор және фосфор тыңайтқыштары өндірісінің негізі Жамбыл облысындағы «Қазфосфат» ЖШС Минералды тыңайтқыштар зауытында шоғырланған. Фосфатты шикізатты ыдырату процесінде түзілетін фосфогипс минералды тыңайтқыштар зауытының үйінділерінде сақталу нәтижесінде, ондағы экожүйеге тигізетін кері әсерін зерттеу және антропогендік әсерге ұшыраған аймақтың өзін-өзі қалпына келу процесін зерттеу өзекті мәселелердің бірі болып табылады. Біздің зерттеу жұмысының алға қойған мақсаты фосфогипс үйіндісінің кері әсеріне ұшыраған топырақ жамылғысын экологиялық бағалау және сол аймақтың қайта қалпына келу әлеуетіне баға беру болып табылады. Зерттеу нәтижесінде алынған мәліметтерді болашақта фофогипс қалдықтары жинақталған нысандарға мониторинг жүргізуге және зақымдалған топырақ жамылғыларын қайта қалпына келтіру жұмыстарына...

This study explores the possibility of making cardboard and molded egg carton packaging from corn residues and common reed as alternatives to wood-based pulp. Six formulations were made: corn husks (CHs), corn leaves (CLs), corn leaves (35%) plus corn husks (30%) and a corn blend (15%) of wollastonite (CaSiO₃) (CH + CL + W), a corn blend (CH + CL: husks 60%, leaves 40%), mixed corn waste (MCW) and shredded common reed (SR). Optical microscopy was used to evaluate the fiber morphology, including the calculation of the flexibility coefficient, the cell wall rigidity and the Runkel ratio, for raw materials and fiber after alkaline hydrolysis and casting of egg cartons in silicone molds. The grammage, burst strength and index, folding endurance, thickness and moisture content were measured in the cardboard samples, while warping, compressive deformation, moisture and ink absorption were measured in the egg cartons. The flexibility coefficient of the common reed fibers (64.5%) was better than that of the corn fibers (23.6%), and so was the Runkel ratio (0.86 vs. 1.2). In the case of cardboard formulations, the maximum burst strength (462.4 kPa) and the maximum burst index (3.0 kPa·g/m²) values were obtained with the MCW formulation, and the highest folding endurance (42 and 38 double folds) was obtained with the CH and SR formulations, respectively. The addition of wollastonite improved folding endurance to 28 double folds and reduced moisture content to 4.1%, whereas the moisture content was reduced but burst strength decreased to 250.5 kPa. Egg cartons made from corn were found to satisfy all the requirements tested for good packaging, while the reed-based cartons were found to have inadequate ink absorbency time (20 min), making them less printable. Overall, mixed corn residues seem to be the most promising raw materials for sustainable packaging, and wollastonite can be used to adjust the flexibility–strength balance.