Project manager from CENS: Armen Saghatelyan

Funded by։ Higher Education and Science Committee of MESCS of the Republic of Armenia

Password: 18T-1E145

Duration: 2021-2024

The aim of the project is to carry out a complex research of the ecological status of the Alaverdi area: from the ecogeochemical situation to the ecological and health risk assessment as a tool for decision-making and providing nature-based solutions for pollution mitigation. The project tasks are as follows:

1. revealing features of heavy metal distribution in soils;
2. assessing geochemical, sanitary and hygienic, ecological and health risks from the contents of heavy metals in soils;
3. revealing features of heavy metal distribution in atmospheric dust;
4. assessing geochemical, sanitary and hygienic, ecological and health risks from heavy metal contents in street/road dust;
5. assessing geochemical, sanitary and hygienic, ecological risks from the contents of heavy metals in water-bottom deposits;
6. identifying sources (natural/manmade) of origination the detected heavy metals in all study substrates, revealing  paragenic associations and clusters;
7. determining antagonistic and synergic properties of the identified risky pollutants and assessing the aggregate risk.

The expected results of the project implementation will be the electronic ecogeochemical atlas, which will then be delivered to local government bodies as a guide and basis for decision-making and nature-based solutions.