Addressing the impact of heavy metals from ammunition on land and water resources

The war in Ukraine is causing catastrophic environmental damage. The main problems include large-scale contamination of soil, water and air with heavy metals and toxic chemicals that are part of munitions.

Consequences of missiles, bombs and mines

Missile, mine, and bomb explosions are accompanied by massive emissions of toxic substances into the air. Fuel combustion products, including nitrogen and carbon dioxides, pollute the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect. At the same time, heavy metals such as mercury, lead, chromium, zinc, iron, and copper are chemically poisoning the soil, destroying its structure and reducing its fertility. This also leads to water pollution. The toxins, along with rainwater, penetrate groundwater, rivers, lakes, and seas, posing a threat to aquatic life and drinking water.

Additional environmental risks include the destruction of vegetation; explosions and fires burn large areas, leading to the loss of fertile soil that takes decades to recover. This also leads to damage to microorganisms in the soil. Bacteria and fungi that ensure the natural cycle of substances die, which slows down the natural processes of soil regeneration. Special attention should be paid to the radiation effect. In some cases, the use of ammunition containing depleted uranium can cause localized radioactive contamination that remains dangerous for decades.

Missiles pose the greatest threat

Rocket fuel contains substances that release highly toxic compounds during combustion, among other things:

• Halogens, nitrogen, sulfur and carbon oxides. They pollute the atmosphere, affecting the respiratory system and causing acid rain.
• Dangerous metals that remain in the soil and water. This creates a long-term effect of chemical poisoning that is difficult to eliminate.
• Fragments of ammunition. Metal remnants (shrapnel, casings, shells) contain toxic substances that gradually decompose, releasing hazardous elements.

Restoration of damaged areas

Despite all the difficulties, it is possible to restore contaminated land and water resources. The key challenge is to rehabilitate the areas without the need to remove contaminated materials, which is cost-effective and safe.

Our approach is bioremediation, which is a set of methods for purifying water, soil and atmosphere using the metabolic potential of plants, fungi, bacteria or their enzymes, combined with the use of organic fertilizers, reclamation and ameliorants:

1. Reduce the impact of toxic metals and soil toxicity in general.
2. Clean soil and water bodies from harmful compounds.
3. Restore and improve soil fertility.
4. Keep moisture in the soil from weathering.
5. Inhibition of the development of phytopathogenic microorganisms.
6. Enhancing plant vitality and increasing their resistance to diseases.
7. Stimulation of plant growth and development.

In addition, we are working to compensate for greenhouse gas emissions, which are increasing due to military operations, against the backdrop of global warming:

• shallowing of rivers;
• abnormally warm winters;
• dry summer periods.

Conclusion.

The environmental situation in Ukraine remains extremely tense due to the war. Restoration of land fertility, water purification and stabilization of climate change are top priorities. Our Institute is actively developing solutions to effectively combat the effects of the war and preserve the natural balance even in difficult conditions. And as a result, Ukrainians will live in the cleanest and brightest natural environment in the world!