Laboratory of Biogeochemistry

Laboratory of Biogeochemistry

 The Laboratory of Biogeochemistry was established on the basis of the Sector of Ecological Biogeochemistry of the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Agrochemistry of the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1989, it was separated from the Laboratory of Biogeochemistry and Agrochemistry of Microelements of the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences because of the arisen need for studying the environmental problems of the Katun HPP construction and the consequences of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site. The founder of the Laboratory was Dr. M.A. Malgin, a leading scientist in biogeochemistry, agrochemistry, soil science, and ecology. Under his supervision, the laboratory began to carry out the fundamental and applied landscape-geochemical and biogeochemical studies. Prof. A.V. Puzanov- a specialist in soil science, geochemistry, agrochemistry, medical ecology and related scientific disciplines, has been headed the Laboratory since 1999.

Nowadays, the laboratory deals with studying the processes of migration and accumulation of chemical elements in the components of terrestrial and aquatic landscapes aimed at assessing their impact on the quality of natural waters. The main objects of research are ecosystems (including with increased environmental stress) of the Ob and Yenisei river basins, the Far East, and the Yamal Peninsula. Important aspects of investigations are also the development of simulation mathematical models describing the formation of water and hydrochemical runoff of Siberian rivers under destabilized climate conditions, study of desertification processes, estimates of moisture movement in soils of agrolandscapes, as well as evaluation of impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors on the incidence of malignant neoplasms in Altai Krai. For more than two decades, the laboratory staff carried out the ecological and geochemical surveys in sites of falling launch vehicle separation parts (Russia, Kazakhstan) and participated in the project implementation on studying the Vostochny Cosmodrome ecosystems.

Head of the Laboratory – Prof. Alexander V. Puzanov.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1340-486X.
E-mail: puzanov@iwep.ru.