Assessment of the environmental hazard posed by heavy metal contamination of bottom sediments in the drained Kakhovka Reservoir and justification of remediation measures
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33271/crpnmu/86.351Keywords:
Kakhovka Reservoir, bottom sediments, heavy metals, mobile metal forms, cumulative pollution index, environmental risks, remediation, technogenic-environmental safety, civil protectionAbstract
Purpose. To assess the level of heavy metal contamination in the bottom sediments of the drained Kakhovka Reservoir, identify priority areas based on the level of environmental hazard, and substantiate remediation measures in compliance with environmental safety requirements.
The methods. The study is based on the results of laboratory analysis of bottom sediment samples from the drained Kakhovka Reservoir. An independent analysis of the sediment contamination level was conducted, an assessment based on the cumulative pollution index was performed, sites were ranked according to remediation priority, and the required reduction in heavy metal concentrations to meet regulatory standards was determined.
Findings. Laboratory analysis of five composite bottom sediment samples revealed a heterogeneous pattern of contamination by mobile forms of heavy metals. The most significant exceedances of regulatory limits were recorded for Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni, whereas concentrations of mobile forms of Cu and Co did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Calculations regarding the reduction required to meet these limits indicated that, for certain metals, a decrease of 49.7–81.4% is necessary. An integrated assessment based on the cumulative pollution index made it possible to identify the sites with the highest levels of contamination: samples No. 3 (Kushuhum), No. 2 (Balabyne), and No. 4 (Kushuhum). Based on the results obtained, the studied sites were ranked according to remediation priority, and the directions for measures aimed at reducing environmental risks and restoring the area were determined.
The originality. The approach to the comprehensive assessment of the environmental status of the drained bottom sediments of the Kakhovka Reservoir has been improved by combining the assessment of mobile heavy metal content, the integral determination of pollution levels, the spatial ranking of sites, and the calculation of the required reduction in concentrations to meet regulatory standards.
Practical implementation. The proposed approach makes it possible to identify priority areas of the drained reservoir for remediation measures and to select them based on the level and nature of contamination. The results obtained can be used to plan restoration activities for the territory of the former Kakhovka Reservoir, limit the migration of heavy metals, and prevent the secondary spread of pollutants.
References
1. Hryshchenko, O., Palamarchuk, R., Tsyhanov, I., Syrovatko, V., & Yatsenko, Y. (2024). Content of heavy metals in bottom sediments of drained Kakhovka Reservoir. Agroecological journal, (1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.33730/2077-4893.1.2024.299939
2. Spears, B. M., Harpham, Q., Brown, E., Barnett, C. L., Barwell, L., Collell, M. R., Davison, M., Dixon, H., Elliott, J. A., Garbutt, A., Hazlewood, C., Hofmann, B., Lanyon, J., Lofts, S., MacKechnie, C., Medinets, S., Noble, J., Ramsbottom, D., Redhead, J. W., ... Wood, M. D. (2024). A rapid environmental risk assessment of the Kakhovka Dam breach during the Ukraine conflict. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02373-0
3. Ліщенко, Л. П., & Філіпович, В. Є. (2024). Оперативний супутниковий геомоніторинг наслідків руйнування греблі Каховської гідроелектростанції. Ukrainian journal of remote sensing, 11(1), 14–20. https://doi.org/10.36023/ujrs.2024.11.1.257
4. Kvach, Y., Stepien, C. A., Minicheva, G. G., & Tkachenko, P. (2025). Biodiversity effects of the Russia–Ukraine War and the Kakhovka Dam destruction: ecological consequences and predictions for marine, estuarine, and freshwater communities in the northern Black Sea. Ecological Processes, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-025-00577-1
5. Voitenko, Y. V., & Svyrydova, K. S. (2025). Undermining of Kakhovka HPP: environmental consequences and remediation of damaged territories. Visnyk of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University series "Ecology", (32), 110–123. https://doi.org/10.26565/1992-4259-2025-32-08
6. Voitenko, Y. V., & Piskun, Y. R. (2025). Ecocide: ecological consequences and possibilities of using phytoremediation for disturbed areas. Visnyk of V N Karazin Kharkiv National University series "Ecology", 199. https://doi.org/10.26565/1992-4259-2025-33-14
7. Study Reveals High Levels of Heavy Metal Contamination at Former Kakhovka Reservoir Bed – Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group. (б. д.). Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group. https://uncg.org.ua/en/high-levels-heavy-metal-contamination-at-former-kakhovka-reservoir-bed/
8. Water at war: the long-term environmental consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine | IGB. (б. д.). Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB). https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/news/water-war-long-term-environmental-consequences-destruction-kakhovka-dam-ukraine
9. Jiang, D., Khokhlov, V., Tuchkovenko, Y., Kushnir, D., Ovcharuk, V., Spyrakos, E., Stanica, A., Slabakova, V., & Tyler, A. (2025). The biogeochemical response of the north-western Black Sea to the Kakhovka Dam breach. Communications Earth & Environment, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02153-z
10. Про затвердження Державних санітарних правил планування та забудови населених пунктів. (б. д.). Офіцій-ний вебпортал парламенту України. https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0379-96#Text
11. Silich, I. (2015). Buffer properties of soils as an indicator of edaphotopes contamination by heavy metals of Kryvyi Rih urboecosystem. Agroecological journal, (3), 65–68. https://doi.org/10.33730/2077-4893.3.2015.317694
12. Дацько, О. М., & Яценко, В. М. (2024). Сучасні методи ремедіації ґрунтів. Фіторемедіація як ключ до очищення ґрунтів та збереження екосистем. Аграрні інновації, (25), 20–24. https://doi.org/10.32848/agrar.innov.2024.25.3
13. Samokhvalova, V., Fateev, A., Zuza, S., Pogromska, Y., Zuza, V., Panasenko, Y., & Gorpinchenko, P. (2015). Phytoremediation of technologically polluted soils. Agroecological journal, (1), 92–100. https://doi.org/10.33730/2077-4893.1.2015.272192
14. Мазур, О. В. (2026). Наукове обґрунтування доцільності використання соняшнику (helianthus annuus l.) для фіторемедіації ґрунтів, забруднених важкими металами. Аграрні інновації, (35), 182–189. https://doi.org/10.32848/agrar.innov.2026.35.27
15. Martynova, N., & Kolombar, T. (2025). Phytoremediation technologies promising for the restoration of agricultural lands damaged by military actions. Regulatory Mechanisms in Biosystems, 16(3), Стаття e25155. https://doi.org/10.15421/0225155
16. Zhylina, M., Zarina, L., Miroshnychenko, D., Lysenko, L., & Karnozhytskyi, P. P. (2025). Phytoremediation of war-induced heavy metal soil contamination using humates from Ukrainian brown coal. Mechanization in Agriculture & Conserving of the Resources, 69(3), 70–72. https://stumejournals.com/journals/am/2025/3/70
17. Yan, A., Wang, Y., Tan, S. N., Mohd Yusof, M. L., Ghosh, S., & Chen, Z. (2020). Phytoremediation: A Promising Approach for Revegetation of Heavy Metal-Polluted Land. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00359
18. Shumilova, O., Sukhodolov, A., Osadcha, N., Oreshchenko, A., Constantinescu, G., Afanasyev, S., Koken, M., Osadchyi, V., Rhoads, B., Tockner, K., Monaghan, M. T., Schröder, B., Nabyvanets, J., Wolter, C., Lietytska, O., van de Koppel, J., Magas, N., Jähnig, S. C., Lakisova, V., ... Grossart, H. P. (2025). Environmental effects of the Kakhovka Dam destruction by warfare in Ukraine. Science, 387(6739), 1181–1186. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adn8655
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to deposit the final published version of their article, or the Author's Accepted Manuscript (AAM), in institutional or subject-specific open-access repositories (including the university's own institutional repository, CORE, Zenodo, or Figshare), ensuring maximum visibility, accessibility, and impact of the publication.
