Combined assessment of the ecological and geochemical state of anthropogenically impacted areas

Abstract

Based on the theoretical principles of biogeochemistry and evolutionary ecology, the geochemical structure of the modern noosphere was evaluated, and a method was developed for the combined assessment of the ecological and geochemical state of large anthropogenically impacted areas. It was demonstrated that persistent geochemically-induced endemic diseases are direct consequences of the development of human civilization. It was shown by the example of the iodine natural–anthropogenic province that the risk map of geochemically-induced endemic diseases constructed by overlaying map surfaces adequately reflects the modern ecological and geochemical state in any point of the region of interest. The proposed approach is valid for the solution of a wide range of environmental geochemical problems.