Assessing the effect of heavy metals from the Novocherkassk power station emissions on the biological activity of soils in the adjacent areas

Abstract Effect of emissions from the Novocherkassk Power Station (Russia) on the biological activity of soils of the adjacent area has been revealed in field studies. The low level of contamination with Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Ni over many years had a stimulating effect on the activity of all biological communities in chernozems, as well as the activities of dehydrogenase and the phytotoxicity in meadow-chernozemic soils. Inverse correlations have been revealed between the contamination and biological parameters of alluvial soils. It has been found that the integrated biological index (IBI), which is closely correlated with the total technogenic pollution index (Zc), is suitable for the environmental estimation of the aerotechnical contamination of soils with heavy metals.