Young scientists from all over Russia are investigating snow pollution in Arkhangelsk – Business & Economy

Arkhangelsk, February 4 /TASS /. Students of the Winter Winter School of Arctic Universities in Arkhangelsk will examine what impurities can be found in Arctic snow, learn to identify microplasty in the lower sediments and learn more about the flora and fauna of the Arctic, as the correspondent of Tass said.

Winter school, which opened to Northern Arctic Federal University (Nafu), has two bags – arctic and subarctic biological diversity and arctic pollution. As many as 36 students and postgraduate from ten cities, not all Arctic cities, came to Arkhangelsk.

“For three days, students and postgraduates from 10 Russian cities, 36 people, will completely learn the key aspects related to the Arctic and subarctic flora and fauna. Pollution will have a large practical block, in which students will study, how to analyze various environmental subjects, such as snow, for heavy metals, organic pollutants and microplasty, “said Tassa Leader of the Expedition of the Arctic University Alexander Saburov. “We had large competitions, about five candidates for the place, and we chose 36 students from Arkhangelsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khanty-Mansiysk, Kazan, Ryazan and Apatity.”

The winter school will identify the majority of involved students ready to participate in Arctic expeditions. Ekaterina Golubeva is a second year graduate at the Russian State University of Hydrometeorology. During the expedition of the University of Floating in 2024 she studied microplasty at the Barents Sea. He plans to continue research and now study microplasty in animal organisms. “I want to continue to study microplasty, my master’s thesis is related to the pollution of the Barents Sea. The next stage would be post -graduate studies in which I will need more detailed research, and now I want to examine the Arctic Arctic biological diversity and combine the results of my work on microplastics with this path, and I plan to examine microplasty in animals, mainly in birds, “said Tass.

The snow reflects the air conditions

Young scientists are invited to theoretical and practical classes, trips to laboratories and university centers. After the lecture, the participants of the pollution path tried snow in various locations at the university to identify various impurities and compare their content. They will use the equipment of the University Arctic Center for collective use of scientific equipment – very sensitive equipment to determine very low concentrations of various substances.

“Snow is a very interesting object. In fact, snow is a mirror of the atmosphere. Pollution gets from the atmosphere to the snow, accumulate there, and we call it a matrix of testimonies, “said the deputy director of the Arctic Center Alexander Kozhevnikov Frazel. “Until tomorrow snow will melt, students will study it, use an unusual method – fluorescent spectroscopy of total external reflection. This method applies only to a drop of water. The device is quite expensive, many elements can be detected on a drop of water, about ten. “

The project is implemented by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education as part of the decade of science and country technology. According to the expression leader, Saburov, during winter schools, students will learn about the Arctic and obtain new skills, and perhaps, perhaps, they will choose supervisors for further scientific work. “I study ecology in Nafu, and my diploma is based on arctic biological diversity. I study mushrooms at the Solovetsky archipelago, “said Tassa, a student of the University of Alis Shchetinin. “In a winter school, I want to learn about the arctic biological diversity from other sides, but not only because I also want to meet people from various fields to learn more about organizational issues, including expeditions.”

Arctic Floating University is a joint Northern Arctic Federal University and National Hydrometeorology Service’s Northern Branch (Sevhydromet) project. Expeditions have been going on since 2012, and over 800 students, postgraduate and scientists took part in them. The project belongs to the 100 best achievements in Russia as part of the Russian project – Country of Achievements.