Registration Number
0225U005235,
(0124U003217)
, R & D reports
Title
Assessment of the risk to aquatic organisms from the release of rare earth elements through the use of modern technologies (including military)
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Лабораторні біохімічні дослідження обраних РЗЕ у з використанням двостулкових молюсків. Оцінка ризиків, пов’язаних із забрудненням РЗЕ. Рекомендація біоіндикаторних видів та біомаркерів.
Head
Stoliar Oksana B., д.б.н.
Registration Date
29-12-2025
Organization
Ternopil National Pedagogical University named after Volodymyr Hnatyuk
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Creation of new scientific knowledge regarding the anthropogenic influence of rare earth elements (REEs) released as a result of the use of modern technologies, and assessment of their risks for aquatic biota. The focus will be on the toxic effects and bioaccumulation of REEs, which are mainly used in military equipment. Laboratory research on the toxicity and bioaccumulation of REE will be aimed at the development of innovative biomarkers for the detection of REE toxicity in water bodies.
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Based on the experiment, it was established that the REE (terbium, yttrium and, especially, gadolinium), which are used in military equipment and are potential pollutants of water bodies as a result of military operations, have a biological effect on the freshwater mollusk Unio tumidus at concentrations that are 1000 times lower than those known to have a toxic effect according to morphological indicators. In cooperation with Lithuanian colleagues, the composition of REE forms in aquatic ecosystems was analyzed. It was proven that gadolinium accumulates in biological tissues to a registered level, while yttrium and terbium are not detected in tissues. Therefore, the markers of exposure of the mollusk in the applied subchronic exposure are not sensitive enough to the influence of ecologically real concentrations of REE, despite the unique accumulative ability of this bioindicator. The studied metals, especially gadolinium and terbium, cause significant changes in the biomarkers state of the mollusk depending on the metal nature, which argues against the established view of such a biological effect of REE (Bannaee et al., 2025). Accordingly, biochemical markers of the effect are of priority importance in assessing the biological effect of REE for aquatic organisms. It has been established that under the ecologically realistic combined effect of REE and other priority pollutants (pharmaceuticals - nifedipine or carbamazepine), which have hypothetically common molecular targets in the body with REE ions, a negative cumulative effect occurs, which must be taken into account when predicting the toxicity of REE in real and model ecosystems. It is recommended to use bivalve mollusks as an appropriate test organism for assessing the ecologically real level of pollution by their biochemical indicators and their inclusion in ecomonitoring. The results obtained will serve as an evidence base regarding the ecological consequences of enemy aggression on the territory of Ukraine.
Product Description
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Vitaliy S. Baranovskyi
Ruslan V. Symchak
Galuna M. Tulaydan
Mykola M. Gladyuk
Kateryna B. Yunko
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2025-12-29
