ASSESSMENT OF THE HYDROCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF QUARRY WATERS IN THE ZONE OF ACTIVITY OF PRJSC “TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION GRANIT”

Abstract

The article presents the results of hydrochemical monitoring of quarry waters at the mining enterprise PJSC “Transnational Corporation Granit” for the period 2021–2023. The company operates in the Korosten district of Zhytomyr region, Ukraine, and is primarily engaged in the extraction of sand, gravel, clay, and kaolin. The aim of the study was to assess the water quality of the quarry under the conditions of anthropogenic load and natural seasonal changes. The monitoring covered a wide range of water quality indicators, including pH, concentrations of ammonium nitrogen, nitrites, nitrates, total iron, phosphates, chlorides, sulfates, suspended solids, dry residue, as well as biochemical (BOD5) and chemical (COD) oxygen demand. The research results showed that the concentrations of most analyzed substances remained within the permissible limits according to environmental standards. The pH values were within the neutral range. The most significant seasonal variations were observed for ammonium nitrogen, COD, and BOD5, with increases during the summer period. The dynamics of some parameters were described by fourth-degree polynomial trends with moderate determination coefficients (R2 = 0.41–0.57), indicating a multifactorial influence on water composition. Total iron, phosphates, chlorides, and sulfates fluctuated slightly without exceeding permissible levels, which suggests the absence of strong point sources of pollution. The occasional approach of suspended solids to threshold values was likely due to active production activities. Overall, the findings indicate an acceptable level of anthropogenic impact on the quarry’s hydrosystem and emphasize the importance of continued regular monitoring to identify potential changes in water quality.