The restoration of a stable and productive ecosystem after drastic disturbances to the natural environment due to mining and open-cast mining may be achieved by means of reclamation. Investigation of the hydrological budget of technosols is important task in developing adequate approaches to reclamation. Sod lithogenic soils on red-brown clay, on grey-green clay were chosen as the objects of the investigation. The simulation of moisture content in Nikopol Manganese Ore Basin technosols was performed using the Penman-Monteith approach and evaluated the role of the dependence of soils’ surface albedo on the humidity in the intensity of evapotranspiration. The research was conducted during 2013–2015 at the station for research on reclaimed land within the Nikopol Manganese Ore Basin (city Pokrov, Ukraine). The experimental area for the study of optimal modes of agricultural reclamation was created in 1968–1970. Precipitation in the investigated area was found to fall very unevenly in time. In 2013, the duration of the rainless period was 259 days, in 2014 – 264 days, in 2015 – 261 days. The maximum daily rainfall varies within 18–49 mm. There are significant interannual differences in the intensity of rainfall. The minimum total annual precipitation in 2014 was due to a decrease in atypical rainfall in late winter and early winter. The maximum annual rainfall in 2015 was caused by intense rainfall both in the spring and in mid-summer and late autumn. The average annual temperature was 11.1 ºC and the annual totals did not statistically significantly vary within the study period. The average wind speed and average atmospheric humidity are statistically significantly different from year to year. The technosols’ colour properties and surface albedo varied depending on the moisture content. There is a linear relationship between the moisture content in the soil and albedo of the soil surface. The evaluation of readily available water content was carried out based on the Penman-Monteith model taking into account meteorological data, the water-physical properties of the technosols and the dependence of soil surface albedo on soil humidity. The distribution of this index for different teсhnosols is characterized by a high level of similarity of shape due to the fact that the overall climate factors are crucial in shaping the dynamics of moisture. A complex mixture of normal distributions is the best model for representing the experimental data. The readily available water content distribution can best be represented as a mixture of two normal distributions. The relatively high moisture level is characterized for winter and spring periods. Water content in sod-lithogenic soils on red-brown clay over the period of research never reached the value of the permanent wilting point. In 2013, the period when the moisture content was less than the value of the permanent wilting point lasted 23 days, and in 2014 this period lasted 39 days. Thus, you can always expect the phenomenon of drought under typical climatic conditions for the technosols on grey-green clay. It was found that monitoring water supplies before the start of the growing season can provide valuable information necessary for the selection of crops for cultivation in the current year. The results indicate the urgency of measures to save the winter rainfall on the fields.

Railway operation can result in the significant environment contamination with heavy metals. The aim of the study was to broaden the knowledge about the railway transport as a source of heavy metals. Railway ballast stones and herbicides were chosen as the objects of the research since these contamination sources on railways are hardly investigated. The location of sampling the ballast stones was a passenger station, which is characterized by the high traffic intensity. The three most common glyphosate-based herbicides and two combination system herbicides of burn-down with other active agents were chosen for the analysis. The heavy metal content in the railway ballast stones was detected by means of XRF, in the herbicides-by means of MP-AES. The railway ballast stones did not contain a sufficient amount of Cd, Co, Mo, Pd, Sn and W for detection. Pb and As were detected at the low concentration of less than 35 ppm only in several samples. The research results showed that the investigated railway ballast contained a significant amount of Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr and Ni. According to the absolute content of HMs in the contaminated ballast layer, they can be arranged in the following sequence: Fe > Mn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Zn > Pb > As. The content of Fe in the contaminated ballast stones was strongly correlated with that of Ni (r = 0.972), Cr (r = 0.954) and Mn (r = 0.943). These metals are components of the railway steel. Therefore, their source can be the abrasion of rails and wheels. All the investigated herbicides contained Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. The highest content of Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb was detected in the "Anti field bindweed" herbicide, which can be related to its complicated composition. Compared to the heavy metal content in the ballast stones, the herbicides can be considered a negligible source of these pollutants.

The effect of the content of natural and anthropogenic pollutants (potentially acidic organic substances, synthetic surfactants and petroleum products in water, which is exposed to desalting) on the efficiency of КU-2-8 ion exchangers has been studied. To minimize this negative influence the reagent method was used. Different natural and modified sorbents have been investigated for additional purification of water before filtration on cation-exchange filters or periodic regeneration of ion exchangers by the studied reagents.

The statistical and monitoring data confirm the significant impact of the operational mode on the most important noise and vibration parameters, which is relevant for ensuring the efficiency and quality of the operational process with regard to ergonomic and environmental requirements. The article analyzes the acoustic parameters of rolling stock of the railway, emphasizes the peculiarities of noise emission from various elements of rolling stock and a track. Existing approaches towards solving the problem in the organization of railway noise control are outlined. On the basis of existing modern methods for measurement and analysis of acoustic parameters, the authors propose conceptual approaches toward monitoring the acoustic parameters, predicting noise characteristics and constructing the noise maps of railways. The algorithm of the developed acoustic model for the operational monitoring of noise load and the possibility to compile a case of noise maps for Ukrzaliznytsia is presented. The proposed algorithm allows at given basic design parameters and speed of rolling stock, known sound-absorbing and dissipative characteristics of all elements to carry out a rational selection of noise-protective measures in accordance with the sanitary noise regulations for a specific receptive facility.

Processing of metals by cutting under modern conditions becomes impossible without the use of effective cutting fluids. The main purpose of cutting fluids is cooling, lubrication of the workpiece processing area. Spent emulsion is a special type of wastewater, very dangerous to the environment, as it contains a large number of persistently emulsified petroleum products. The methods using various surfactants were tested for the cutting fluid disposal. The obtained results allowed proposing a general flow diagram of treatment of spent cutting fluids, as well as a block diagram of their purification. After processing the spent cutting fluids according to the proposed diagram, two products were obtained, namely water and sludge. This technology can be used in metalworking shops of railway enterprises, as well as the enterprises of machine-building, metallurgical and other industries where CFeffluents are formed within the wastewater complex. It will provide both an economic result through the reuse of water and will give a significant environmental effect by minimizing the amount of hazardous waste.

Purpose. The scientific paper aims at analyzing the current state of the railway infrastructure soil contamination with heavy metals (HM), namely, the three stations of Prydniprovska railway: Kamianske-Pasazhyrske, Zaporizhzhia-Kamianske and Trytuzna. Methodology. The research object is the soil of the above mentioned railway stations, the research subject is the total content of HM. Sampling was carried out every 15 m between and outside both rails up to the end of railway ties. The total area of the investigated sites is 600 m 2. The total form of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Mn concentration was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. The obtained data were compared with the background concentration of HM for Dnipropetrovsk oblast and the results of analyzing the reference control located at a distance of 250 m from the railway stations. Findings. It is found out that rail transport is a source of HM emission into soil. The findings indicate that the soil state of the Kamianske-Pasazhyrske station corresponds to a low ecological risk and a low degree of pollution, since the station is a passenger one only and pollution occurs mostly due to the friction of wheels and rails and that of the pantograph and overhead system, as well as the pesticide use. The soil contamination of the Zaporizhzhia-Kamianske station is characterized by a considerable potential environmental risk and a very high degree of pollution. This station is a cargo-passenger one, and this pollution level is mainly due to loading and unloading processes. The soil of the Trytuzna station is characterized by an average potential ecological risk and a moderate degree of pollution. Although this station is mainly used for the freight trains reformation, but due to the transportation of large volumes of bulk ore cargoes HM fall into soil. Besides, the station is not electrified. Recommendations for assessment of the soil pollution levels are given. Originality. For the first time the potential ecological risk of soil contamination was determined on the basis of the physical and chemical analysis of the HM content in the soil of the above-mentioned stations. Practical value. The results of the study can be used as a justification of the reasonability of introducing the environmental monitoring programs for the railway land, the environmental protection measures for the soil treatment from HM, correcting the railway exclusion zone, as well as protection of adjacent territories from the propagation and accumulation of the mentioned pollutants. The necessity and urgency of the constant control of the HM content in the railway soil and the relevance of the research continuation in this scientific direction are confirmed on the basis of the received data.

The authors examined the scientific basis for managing environmental and economic risks in the transport of dangerous goods by rail. The importance of optimizing the monitoring of environmental safety and the organization of environmental risk management was noted. The paper presents the interrelation of the functional strategy of ensuring the reliability of the transportation process with other strategies. A new functional strategy and a schematic diagram of the environmental management system for making management decisions to optimize environmental management in railway transport have been proposed. A conceptual apparatus has been developed to identify and determine environmental risks and the principle of their management during the transport of dangerous goods by railway transport.

Purpose. The study is aimed at developing recommendations for improving the efficiency of the relevant units of the «sender-carrier-recipient» system for correcting their work on railway safety management during the transportation of dangerous goods and/or during an emergency situation. Methodology. On the basis of graphic, analytical tools and with the help of the probability theory, the assessment of the emergency situation occurrence was analyzed. Findings. On the basis of the combined Ishikawa diagram of the key event tree and the risk map of the key event, an analysis of the risk assessment of the emergency situation was carried out. Possible causes and factors of the occurrence of emergency situations during the transportation of dangerous goods by railway transport (hit by a missile, ice, speeding, obstacles on the railway track) were identified. Recommendations have been developed to reduce the risks of an emergency situation (cooperation between Ukrzaliznytsia PJSC and relevant centers that conduct special training on the transportation of dangerous goods, effective interaction of all participants in the «sender-carrier-recipient» system, as well as perfect control over compliance with the rules. Development of proposals for improving the procedure of interaction between the relevant units of the «sender-carrier-recipient» system, which can be involved in liquidation measures (Using universal sorption cloth (USC) for localization of spills of dangerous goods, using wagons of models 19- 795 and 19–795–01 for transportation of USC, regeneration and reuse of USC.). Originality. Specific recommendations for minimizing the negative consequences of accidents based on a systematic analysis and assessment of the risks of an emergency situation during the transportation of dangerous goods by railway transport were developed. Practical value. In the field of security the application of these recommendations will contribute to the reduction of risks in railway transport from the point of view of preventing the occurrence of a situation that would threaten the ecological state of the environment and human life, especially in the conditions of a state of war taking place on the territory of our country, as well as the renewal of material and technical means of liquidation of accident consequences.