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Lead (Pb) is one of the most hazardous heavy-metal pollutants in the environment. However, the resistance of different soils and ecosystems to Pb pollution varies greatly. In the present study, the comparative assessment of the resistance to Pb contamination in the forest, forest-steppe, steppe, and mountain-meadow soils of the Central Ciscaucasia and the Caucasus regions was conducted. There were 10 types and subtypes of objects from the forest, forest-steppe, steppe, and mountain-meadow soils which were selected for this study. The laboratory modeling of the effect of chemical soil contamination with lead (II) oxide (PbO) at different concentrations, 100, 1000, and 10,000 mg/kg, were introduced into the soil to check the microbiological, biochemical, and phytotoxic properties of the soil after 30 days of incubation. Soil resistance to Pb stress was assessed by the degree of the decrease in the most sensitive and informative biological indicators of the soil condition. It has been found that the forest-steppe and steppe soils showed a greater resistance than that of the forest and mountain-meadow soils. The regional maximum permissible concentration (rMPC) of Pb was developed for the first time, according to the degree of violation of the ecosystem functions of the soils. The forecast maps were developed for the deterioration of the soil condition during the Pb contamination at variable concentrations in the Central Ciscaucasia and the Caucasus regions. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects that occur in miners working underground in rare metal ore mines at ionizing radiation levels within the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) standards using the buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay. At the same time, we attempted to identify possible relationships between cytogenetic abnormalities in the buccal epithelium and such physiological indicators as cardiodynamics and the body mass index. The study involved a total of 269 individuals, 236 miners working underground in production related to the mining and enrichment of loparite ores and 33 non-exposed individuals (Russia, Murmansk region). Buccal micronucleus cytome assay and heart rate variability parameters were used. Micronucleus frequency was revealed to be a higher in the exposed group (8.3 ± 1.08‰) than in the non-exposed group (3.3 ± 0.49‰). The repair index showed a statistically significant increase in the non-exposed group (14.9 ± 2.90) compared with the exposed group (6.1 ± 0.74). The frequency of nuclear protrusions correlates significantly with the body mass index in the young miners (≤30 years (r = 0.45)). There is a negative relationship between the micronucleus frequency and the level of organism adaptation (r = −0.24), the vegetative regulation rate (r = −0.20) and the psycho-emotional state (r = −0.30) for miners older than 30 years. The results testify to the possible induction of clastogenic effects and a decrease in the level of reparation in the buccal epithelium cells due to the exposure of a various of production factors in the extraction of loparite ore. Full article