The results of analyzes of water samples, which were taken by specialists from the Far Eastern Interregional Administration of Rosprirodnadzor in Kamchatka, have become known. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, analyzes showed an excess of the maximum permissible concentrations for phosphate ion by 10.8 times, for iron - 6.7 times, for phenol - 2.9 times.
"Chemical analysis of bottom sediments of such pollutants as oil products, heavy metals, including mercury, nitrates, phosphates, chlorides, sulfates and others, requires a mandatory preliminary sample preparation procedure"б - Interfax reports.
As the news agency clarifies, after special training it will be possible to find out how contaminated the water was with such hazardous substances as benzopyrene and other polyarenes, phenols and cyanides.
The first reports of problems with water quality in Kamchatka began to arrive at the end of September. Surfers complained that the water on Khalaktyr Beach in the Pacific Ocean had changed color and composition. After contact with sea water, the athletes' eyes swollen and reddened, and skin irritation appeared. Then the corpses of sea animals appeared along the coast.
In total, according to the head of the Kamchatka surfing school, more than 200 people have suffered from contact in dirty water on Khalaktyrsky beach, 11 victims have complained of eye burns to the doctors. On the fact of water poisoning and the death of animals in the UK, a criminal case was opened under part 2 of article 247 and part 2 of article 252 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules for the circulation of environmentally hazardous substances and waste; pollution of the marine environment).
The scale of the ecological disaster was so great that scientists predicted a long recovery time. After the death of about 90% of benthic organisms, it can take up to 15 years to restore the usual population of fish, mollusks and other animal species. This will happen if there is no re-contamination.
Now in the area of the disaster, a survey of the territory continues, the purpose of the work is to establish the source of the poisoning of water and soil with chemicals, which provoked the mass death of marine animals and the infection of people.