Code Geotoxicological

Code Geotoxicological

Editor in Chief - Punko V. P.

Author's translation of the Larchenkov  E.P. 
(based on the book "The Code Geotoxicology")

CODE GEOTOXICOLOGICAL

1. Scope

1.1.1. This Code specifies requirements for evaluation of geotoxicological aspects. The Code assures equal approach under identification of geotoxicological aspects of the environment.

1.1.2. The Code is applicable under geological surveying, cartographic mapping.

1.1.3. The Code is applicable for the geotoxicological aspects that can be fixed and controlled.

1.1.4. The Code does not itself state specific requirements for geotoxicological characteristics

1.2. Analysis of geotoxicological aspects aids to evaluate of the environment conditions and solve issues of localization, dispersion, and rehabilitation of affected ecological systems.

1.3.1. The Codex specification with guidance for use environmental management systems.

1.3.2. The Codex is applicable for any organization dealing with:

1.3.2.1. implementation, maintain and improving of environmental management system;

1.3.2.2. certification/registration of environmental management system

2. NORMATIVE REFERENCES
Normative references are collected in "Comments to Geotoxicological Code

3. DEFINITIONS

Geotoxicilogy

THIS IS ELEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY STUDIED PECULIARITIES OF INFLUENCE OF GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES ON THE EARTH'S SURFACE AND WITHIN THE DEPTH ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
Comment. Surface and depth geological processes are studied in the geotoxicology from the standpoint of their affect on the environment taking into account anthropogenous influence including human activity in space on the earth's ecosystems.

3.1. GEOSPHERE

Gcospheres are concentric layers of the Earth with changing physical, chemical and organic properties with the depth and dividing by seismic discontinuities. There are inner geospheres including barysphere, astenosphere and lithosphere (with the earth's crust), and outer ones including the atmosphere and the hydrosphere). Also there is the magnitosphere adjoining to the Earth.

3.1.1. Barysphere,
The barysphere includes the earth core and lower and middle mantle.

3.1.1.1. The core of the Earth
This is central part of the Earth, having a radius of 3486 kilometers. It is subdivided into the inner core, a solid metallic sphere, about 1216 kilometers in radius, and the outer core, the layer about 2270 kilometers thick with exhibits characteristics of a mobile liquid. In comparison with others layers of the Earth the core is characterized by great density and electroconductivity, reduced velocity of compressional waves and absorption of shear waves.

3.1.1.2. The mantle of the Earth
This layer locates between the crust and the cure of the Earth and includes about 83 % of the earth's volume (without the atmosphere) and about 67% of its total mass. The upper boundary of the layer is the Mohorovicic discontinuity (the depth up 5-10 to 70 kilometers) and the lower boundary is the Wichert-Gutenberg discontinuity on the depth about 2900 kilometers. Traditionally the mantle is subdivided into 3 areas: B - upper mantle (33-400 kilometers), C -"transitional" area (400-950 kilometers), and D - lower mantle (950-2900 kilometers).

3.1.2. Astenosphere
This layer located in middle part (60-250 kilometers) of upper mantle is characterized as ductile and capable of fluidity.

3.1.3. Lithosphere
This layer is underlying by the astenosphere and including a part of upper mantle and the earth's crust is characterized as solid and elastic one. The lithosphere thickness varies from 50-60 kilometers under oceans to 200 and more kilometers under continents.

3.1.3.1. The earth's crust
The earth's crust locating upper than the Mohorovicic discontinuity is on the average less than 20 kilometers thick changing from 30-60 kilometers on the continents to 6-12 kilometers on the oceans. The crust is subdivided into (i) sedimentary cover; (ii) granite-metamorphic layer compounding of igneous rock granite and equivalent metaimorphic rocks; (iii) basalt layer consisting of predominantly basalt and volcanic chains composed of andesitic rocks.

3.1.3.2. Weathered layer
The layer on the earth`s surface consists of products of rocks weathering.

3.1.4. Hydrosphere.
The hydrosphere is a dynamic mass of liquid, it includes the global ocean and also surface fresh water found in streams, lakes and artificial reservoirs, swamps, glaciers and blanket of snow, and underground waters. The hydrosphere's volume is 1370.3 millions km3 that is 1/800 of total earth's volume. The waters of oceans and seas include about 98.3% of the hydrosphere's mass and 1.6 % of it concentrates in land ice. There are intricate interactions between hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. The hydrosphere is a component of biosphere and is affected by living organisms.

3.1.5. Atmosphere
The atmosphere is life-giving gaseous envelope surrounding the earth. It is integral part of the planet. Its mass is about 5.15 – 1015 tons, and the atmosphere's content near earth's surface includes 78.1% of nitrogen, 21% of oxygen, 0.9% of argon, and insufficient amounts of carbonic acid, hydrogen, helium, neon and other gases. The layer enriched by ozone appears in interval 20-25 kilometers, and it protects all living organisms from the sun's intense heat and dangerous radiation. Hydrogen and helium get predominance beginning to 100 kilometers and higher; here gas molecules are decomposed into ions forming ionosphere. Aіr pressure and density are decreased in the atmosphere as higher. The energy exchange that continually occur between the atmosphere and the earth's surface and between the atmosphere and space produce the effect calling weather. Depending on air temperature the atmosphere is dividing on troposphere, stratosphere, m;sosph;re, thermosph;re, and exospherc. Irregularity of the air heating provides the atmosphere's circulation that influences on the weather and the climate.

3.1.6. Magnetosphere
The near-earth space area including upper layers of the atmosphere where geo magnetic field dominates over magnetic fields generated by any other sources. Magnetosphere has complicated shape and reaches a few times more than the earth`s radius.

3.1.7. Cosmosphere.
Cosmosphere - solar system, galaxy, universal.

3.2. ECOSPHERE
Ecosystem (biogeocenoses)
Ecosystem or biogeocenoses is totally living organisms and the earth's surface area which are joined in a single whole due to exchange of the substance and the energy. Geochemical properties of the environment are adapted for biological needs of the organisms due to their activity. Dimension of an ecosystem is the area where there are possibilities for self-regulation and self-renewal all compounds constituting the ecosystem. They are divided micro-ecosystems (e.g. carrion trunk), meso-ecosystems (e.g. forest, lake), and macro-ecosystems (e.g. large parts of land and ocean). The biosphere is global ecosystem.

3.2.2. Environment
Environment refers to everything that surrounds and influences an organism. The environment encompasses water, air, soil and rock, and any natural phenomenon, as well as any human activities intluencing on any living organisms. Abiotic, biological and social factors are joined by these conditions. Geological phenomena and processes are among the most basic in the environment.

3.2.3. Impact on the environment
This is a component of any influences on the environment.

3.2.4. Biosphere.
Biosphere is the parts of lithosph;re, hydrosphere, and atmosphere in which living organisms can be found. It consists of both the totally life-forms on Earth and transforming by living organisms inorganic matter that is one of most important source of their nutrition. This transforming activity of organisms is appeared as geochemical factor of planetary scale, which realizes circulation of substance and energy flow in the biosphere. The biosphere consists of ecosystems, or biogeocenoses of various scales. Recent biosphere encompasses the part of the atmosphere up to ozone layer, all hydrosphere, and predominantly soil and weathering layer, however its lower boundary lies on the depth where the temperature reaches 100° C. (about 3 kilometers)

3.3. GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES
The geological processes form and modify all on the earth including minerals, rocks, relief, and structures of the earth's crust and lithosph;re. There are naturally initiated endogenous and exogenous geological processes and artificially initiated anthropogenous ones.
There are following energy sources for geological processes:
-forces creating by mutual attracting of substance particle of the earth
-gravity sources creating under interaction between the Earth and other planets
-rotational force created by the earth's rotation and changing of the rotation velocity
-forces creating inner heat of the earth
-forces creating by chemical transmission of the substance within the earth's depth and the transmission of aggregate conditions of the substance under affect of great temperatures and pressures
-forces creating by outer influence on the earth, in particular, by the sun which gives the energy for living organisms and many processes in the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
Some geological processes as volcano eruptions, earthquakes, mass wasting and so on are very rapid and their consequences can be very negative or even disastrous.

3.3.1. Endogenous geological processes
The energy for endogenous geological processes is created in inner part of the earth and they are usually realized under the earth's surface. There are following endogenous geological processes: tectonic, magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal ones. Due to endogenous processes are formed and evolved continents and oceans, and the earth's crust structures. The processes initiate rapid and slow tectonic movements and deformations of folding and faulting thick rock sequences, metamorphic transformation of rock structures and textures under affect of high temperature and pressure.

3.3.1.1. Volcanic and intrusive activity (Magmatism)
Totally geological processes realizing due to magma and its derivativeswhich are dividedinto effusive (volcanic) and intrusive processes

3.3.1.2. Orogenegis
Geological process that collectivelly result in the formation of mountains.

3.3.1.3. Metamorphism
The changes in mineral composition and texture a rock subjected to high temperature and pressure with the earth.

3.3.2. Exogenous geological processes
Exogenous geological processes are basically acted on the earth's surface and initiated by outer forces concerning the Earth. Solar energy, gravitation, and vital functions are main factors of the processes. . There are following exogenous geological processes: weathering, transportation of weathered products, and sedimentation.

3.3.2.1. Weathering
Weathering is the geological process occurring on the earth's surface when rocks are mechanically, chemically and biologically fragmented (disintegrated) and altered (decomposed). The main factors of mechanical weathering are heating and frosting of rocks and water within fractures, and plants, borrowing animals, and human being. Chemical, biochemical, and biological weathering occur due to solution, oxidation, hydrolysis, biogeochemical activities of living organisms, in particular, bacteria.

3.3.2.2. Catagenesis
Catagenesis is totally of chemical and physical processes that are activated in sedimentary rocks due to increasing temperature and pressure. Typical changes in the rocks are, pressing of sedimentation and other water existing within the rocks, consolidation, cementation and increasing their density, diminish of porosity, transformation of unstable minerals.

3.3.2.3. Diagenesis
Diagenesis is initial stage of geological process turning sediment into sedimentary rock. Initially physic-chemically unstable sediment saturated by water and organic matter and enriched by living organisms, mainly bacteria is getting to be balanced.

3.3.2.4. Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the process of sediment formation due to thickening and accumulation of any natural materials from water and/or air, and existence of the deposits until diagenesis beginning.
Comment. Sedimentation is the first stage of lithogenesis.

3.3.2.5. Gipergenesis
Geological process - change of rocks and minerals in a cortex a weathering and biosphere.

3.3.2.6. Pedogenesis.
This is totally chemical, biochemical and physical processes of soil formation. The soil the product of the complex interplay of several factors, including parent material, time, climate, plants and animals, and slope.

3.3.2.7. Singenesis
Geological process - stale of formation of a deposit before diagenesis.

3.3.2.8. Denudation
Geological process - drift of gravity propulsion.

3.3.2.9.Gydrogenesis
This is totally of geological processes concerned with the atmosphere.

3.3.2.10. Ablation
Ablation is the processes of glacier diminish due to melting and mechanical destruction.

3.3.2.11. Erosion
Geological process - destruction of rocks by a water-course

3.3.2.1.2. Atmogenesis.
This is totally of geological processes concerned with the atmosfere.

3.3.2.12. Deflation
Deflation is the process when winds erode and loose material are blown, lifted and removed.

3.3.2.14 Magnitegenesis
This is totally of geological processes concerned with the magnitosphere.
3.3.2.15 Cosmogenesis
Geological process - spase processe effecting on an environment of the Earth.

3.3.2.16. Radiation
Ionizing radiation from space influenced on living organisms. There is hard mainly by mesons radiation and mild electric-magnetic one.

3.3.3. Anthropogenous geological processes
Initiating and activating by human activity geological process which influence directly and/or indirectly on the environment.

3.3.3.1. Technogenesis
Totally geomorphologic processes initiating by human industrial activity which and/or indirectly influence on the environment. The technogenesis can affect directly due to excavation, transportation, deposition, and transformation of rocks and so on, and indirectly due to acceleration of current processes and/or initiation new ones.

3.4. GEOTOXICOLOGICAL ASPECT
Component of an effect of geological process on the environment
Comment: Described in "Classification of geotoxicological aspects

4. REQUIREMENTS FOR ASCERTAIN OF GEOTOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS

4.1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1.1. Ascertain of geotoxicological aspects provides identification and similarity of geological processes affecting on the environment

4.1.2. Main targets are:

4.1.2.1. study of geological processes

4.1.2.2. environmental impact assessment of geological processes

4.1.2.3. design and support of database of identification of the similarity of geological processes' affecting on the environment
Comment:
The objects for geotoxicological investigations are ecological systems and affecting geological processes. Main targets of the investigations are characteristics of the ecosystems state and dynamics of geological processes, and prognosis of the changes due to affect the processes.

4.2. PERIOD OF GEOTOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS EVALUATION

4.2.1. The period of geotoxicological aspects evaluation includes investigations of geological processes affecting on the environment, ascertain of priorities in environmental management system including its permanent improving, and prevention of negative impacts on ecosystems.

4.2.2 Procedures of the ascertain of geotoxicological aspects shall be established and maintained.

4.3. PERIOD OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTS EVALUATION
Procedure to identify and have access to legal requirements for the environment protection shall be established and maintained.

4.4. PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

4.4.1. Structure and responsibility
Roles, responsibility and authorities shall be defined, documented and communicated in order to facilitate effective environmental management.

4.4.2. Training, awareness and competence
It shall be identify training needs.

4.4.3. Communication
With regards to its geotoxicological aspects it shall be established and maintained procedures for:

4.4.3.1. internal communication between the various interested parties

4.4.3.2. receiving, documentation and responding to relevant interested parties

4.4.4. Geotoxicological aspects system documentation
Information and documentation shall be established and maintained.

4.4.4.1 regulation of geotoxicological aspects as important elements of environmental management system and their interactions

4.4.4.2. providing the management with related documentation

4.4.5. Document control
Procedures for controlling all documents required by this standard should be established and maintained to ensure that:

4.4.5.1. they can be located;

4.4.5.2. they are periodically reviewed, revised as necessary and approved for adequacy
the current versions of relevant documents essential for the effective functioning

4.4.5.3. obsolete documents are promptly removed from all points of issues and points of use or otherwise assured against unintended use

4.4.5.4. any obsolete documents retained for legal and/or knowledge preservation proposes are suitably identified;
Documentation shall be legible, dated (with dates of revision) and readily identifiable, maintained in an orderly manner and retained for a specified period. Procedures and responcibilities shall be established and maintained concerningn the creation and modification of the various types of document.

4.4.6. Operational control
Those operations and activities that are associated with geotoxicological aspects evaluation shall be identified. These activities, including maintenance shall be planned, in order to fulfill

4.4.6.1. establishing and maintaining documented procedures to cover situations when geotoxicological aspects could lead to disturbances in the environment;

4.4.6.2. stipulating operating criteria in the procedures

4.4.6.3. establishing and maintaining procedures related to geotoxicological aspects, and communicating relevant procedures and requirements to interested parties

4.4.7. Emergency preparedness and response
It shall be established and maintained procedures to identify geotoxicological aspects in case of accidents and emergency situations, and mitigating the environmental impact that may be associated with geological factors.
The procedures shall be reviewed and revised periodically, in particular, after the occurrence of accidents initiated by geotoxicological aspects.

4.5. CONTROLLING PERIOD

4.5.1. Monitoring and measurement
Documented procedures to monitor and measure on a regular base the key characteristics of geological processes affecting the environment shall be established and maintained.
Monitoring equipment shall be calibrated and maintained and records of this process shall be retained according to relevant procedures.
Documented procedure for periodically evaluating compliance of geotoxicological aspects with relevant environmental legislation and regulations shall be established and maintained.

4.5.2. Nonconformance and corrective and preventive action
Documented procedures for defining responsibility and authority for handing and investigating nonconformance, taking actions to mitigate any impacts caused and for initiating and completing corrective and preventive action.
Any corrective or preventive action taken to eliminate the causes of actual and potential nonconformances shall be appropriate to the magnitude of problems and commensurate with the environmental impact caused by geological processes encountered.

4.5.3. Records
Procedures for the identification, maintenance and disposition of geotoxicological aspects records shall be established and maintained
Their retention times shall be established and recorded

4.5.4.Geotoxicological aspects audit
Documented procedures for periodic carrying out audits of geotoxicological aspects shall be established and maintained, in order to:

4.5.4.1. determine whether or not the geotoxicological aspects conforms to geological factors affecting on the environment;

4.5.4.2. provide information on the results of audits to interested parties;
In order to be comprehensive, the audit procedure shall cover the audit scope, frequency and methodologies, as well as the requirements for conducting audits and reporting

4.6. GEOTOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS REVIEW
Geotoxicological aspects shall be reviewed to ensure continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the procedure of evaluation of geological processes affecting on the environment. The review process shall ensure to verification that the necessary information is collected. This review shall be documented.

 
3.4. (1) Classification of geotoxicological aspects