The purpose of this work is to conduct a comparative study of attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, diffuse-reflection electron spectroscopy and refractometry of the optical characteristics of a series of oil extracts, residues and dry-milled (<0,5 mm) aromatic and medicinal plant materials of different origin and anatomical localisation (roots, grass, flowers). Sunflower oil infusion was carried out in a water bath (90 °C) for one hour, followed by storage at room temperature for six months. For the studied series of extracts, the refractometry method allowed the linear dependency of the refractive index and iodine value to be obtained. This indicates that the extraction ability of the oil is determined not only by the fatty acid composition of the triglycerides of the samples, but also by the selectivity of the lipophilic components present in the extractant itself. The obtained data are consistent with the change in the intensity of the characteristic bands (320 nm) in the electronic spectra of extracts, residues and dry raw materials. The individual lipophilicity of oil extracts is confirmed by their IR spectra in the absorption region of C = C-bonds (1653 cm^-1), valency (3008 cm^-1) and deformation (722 cm^-1) vibrations of the CH-groups with a double bond (CH = CH) when compared with the spectra of residues and dry raw materials.

Sulfonated polymeric materials are widely applied in the development of high-performance proton-conducting membranes. In terms of sulphating agents, concentrated sulphuric- and chlorosulfonic acids, a mixture of methanesulfonic- and concentrated sulphuric acid, and acetyl sulphate are most commonly used. A high degree of sulfonation of membrane materials provides efficient proton transport and excellent current-voltage characteristics of fuel cells. In order to develop a new proton-conducting membrane, the sulfonation of copolymers of styrene and allyl glycidyl ether is carried out, the composition and structure were confirmed by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy. Obtained copolymers represent powdery substances, having a cream to dark brown colour, and are characterised by good solubility in benzene and acetone. The degree of sulfonation varies from 12 to 98 mol. %. Additionally, a quantum chemical study of the sulfonation mechanism of styrene and allyl glycidyl ether copolymers is studied using Gaussian 09 software; MP2//B3LYP level of theory and 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and composite CBS-QB3 method. Studying the process of copolymers sulfonation and comparing the obtained results with the data of quantum chemical calculations is essential for the development of additional methods for obtaining effective proton-conducting membranes.

The aim of this research is to analyse processes occurring on the surface of engine components during their chemical etching. The study is based on experimental data on the removal of aluminide coatings. Aluminide coatings consist of intermetallic phases (Ni_xAl_y, M_xCl_y, M_xSi_y) and compounds exhibiting various levels of chemical activity (α-Cr, α-W, Si, Y). The efficiency of removing defective coatings (the rate of the process and the quality of etched surfaces) is determined by the ratio of components in the etching solution, which either stimulate or inhibit electrochemical reactions within the «solution-coating-alloy» system. It is shown that Cl^- ions contribute to the active dissolution of the Ni_xAl_y coating matrix, whereas the adsorption of (NO₃)^- can have either a stimulating or a passivating effect. The dissolution rate of the β-NiAl phase is determined by the release of Al³⁺ ions into the etching solution. These ions are known to be the most electrochemically-active component of aluminide coatings. The dissolution of the γ΄-Ni₃Al phase is limited by the formation of hydrated Ni₂⁺ ions. The removal of the corrosion-resistant M_xCl_y and M_xSi_y phases occurs due to the weakening of their adhesion to the coating matrix. The behaviour of (Cr₂O₇)^2- ions is shown to be in excellent agreement with classical chemical concepts. Acting as effective depolarizers, (Cr₂O₇)^2- ions accelerate the etching process; however, they also inhibit the etching of the nickel alloy by being adsorbed on its surface. The high dissolution rates of coatings in the presence of (NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄, which does not exhibit pronounced oxidizing properties, are explained by a possible transformation of (NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄ into (MoO₂)²⁺ and (MoO₄)^2-, followed by its reduction to MoO₂ and subsequent oxidation to (MoO₂)²⁺.

The use of biostimulators has attracted research attention as a promising method for increasing the yield and sustainability of agricultural plants. A wide range of substances can be utilized as biostimulators, including mixtures of both known and unknown chemical composition. Thus, conifers are considered to be an economically and environmentally justified source of biostimulators. Wood of coniferous plants, as well as their needles and bark, contain terpenoids, which constitute a large and diverse class of naturally occurring biologically active compounds. This paper discusses possible pathways for the biosynthesis of terpenoids, along with enzymes and genes involved in this process, as well as the intracellular compartmentalization of their metabolism and accumulation in living tissues. A number of examples are provided that demonstrate the successful use of preparations obtained from conifers and containing both terpenoids and some other bioactive substances. Such preparations are actively being used not only for research purposes, but also in practical agriculture in many countries, including the Russian Federation. However, in many cases, their active compounds, mechanisms of action and molecular targets remain unclear. Future research should focus on a controllable synthesis of terpenoids and other coniferous substances with the purpose of increasing the yield of the target compounds for either their direct application in crop production, or the pre-modification of natural compounds using chemical reactions.

Plants may often be exposed to adverse environmental factors, leading to economic losses and threatening the food security of many countries. Among these factors, viruses not only affect the quality of seeding material, but also reduce crop yields. Viral infections have a particular effect on plants in combination with abiotic stresses. Abiotic stresses are known to stimulate the development of reactive oxygen species, thus generating an «oxidative explosion» effect: an increase in the level of reactive oxygen species results in the production of antioxidant enzymes. Research studies aimed at investigating the protective mechanisms of various plants (including potatoes) against stress factors contribute to a more detailed understanding of these mechanisms, as well as to the development of methods for boosting the resilience of economically important crops. This paper presents a review of scientific papers in the field of biochemistry and plant protection against viral infections and salt stress, which lead to the production of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and aldehyde oxidase. The study of mechanisms regulating the metabolism of reactive oxygen species in plants during their exposure to abiotic and biotic stress factors may serve as a basis for the development of new effective strategies to combat viral infections and abiotic stress factors.

In the theoretical part of this paper, we discuss the role of natural intestinal microflora - in particular, bifidobacteria - in maintaining the homeostasis of the human body. We also explain the importance of the development of culture media for growing these important bacteria. In the experimental part, we present a step wise development of a culture medium composition for growing the Bifidobacterium longum B379M strain. Milk whey, a secondary raw material of the dairy industry containing numerous nutrients, seems to be a suitable basis for such a medium. The use of milk whey for these purposes also solves the problem of its rational utilization in the production of cottage cheese. The constituent components of the culture under development were selected taking into account the nutritional needs of the bacteria. The optimal amounts of these components were determined by comparing the logarithms of CFU concentrations in 1 mL of culture samples following a 24- hour incubation at 37°C and their active acidity values, which are considered to be indicative of the acid-forming ability of the bifidobacterium at its various cultivation stages. Pancreatic casein hydrolysate, peptone and yeast extract were used as sources of nitrogen; whereas inulin, lactose and glucose supplied the carbon requirement. A particular attention is paid to the creation of a neutral medium, which is necessary for bifidobacteria, by adding sodium citrate, ascorbic acid and a solution of phosphate buffer. The medium was also neutralized during the cultivation process using a sodium bicarbonate solution. As a result, the cell yield on the developed culture medium exceeded 109 CFU/cm3, which is sufficient for laboratory studies.

This paper investigates the process of stimulating the growth of probiotics by means of antioxidants and the possibility of developing prophylactic functional food products exhibiting antioxidant properties. In this study, melanins derived from Inonotus obliquus (chaga mushroom) were used as antioxidative compounds. The study was aimed at assessing the effect of chaga melanins taken at low concentrations on the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus. This culture with the addition of Bifidobacterium bifidum and chaga melanins was subsequently used as a basis for the development of a functional dairy product. Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria were cultivated in a skimmed milk medium at a temperature of 37 ± 1°C for 72 hours. It is shown that the introduction of chaga melanins at a concentration of 10-10 g/cm³ into a Lactobacillus acidophilus culture medium significantly intensifies the growth of these bacteria. A functional fermented milk product was developed on the basis of Lactobacillus acidophilus with the addition of Bifidobacterium bifidum and chaga melanins taken at a concentration of 10-10 g/cm³. Our comparison of the obtained product with the reference sample has shown the former to be superior over the latter with respect to the Bifidobacterium bifidum titre, the Lactobacillus acidophilus titre, the viscosity level and the amino acid content (on the fifth day of storage) by 50%, 14,2%, 8,3% and 11,2%, respectively. It is established that the use of the antioxidants under study contributes to the maintenance of the Bifidobacterium bifidum titre at a stable level throughout the entire shelf life (five days).

The effectiveness of herbal medicine preparations and dietary supplements is determined by their composition, especially in terms of active ingredient content. Dietary supplements are frequently produced by plant extraction methods. However, the desired selectivity of extraction can only be achieved with the application of additional separation and purification stages. The purpose of this study was to increase the selectivity of steroidal saponin extraction from plants on the example of ruscus (Ruscus ponticus), the extract of which is widely used to treat a number of disorders. The presented new approach to the production of biologically active substances from ruscus under laboratory conditions is based on the method of fractional freezing in combination with centrifugation. The possibility of using the proposed technology for extracting saccharides from the original extract has been confirmed by the previously obtained experimental data and the developed theoretical model. The proposed technology is described in detail. The methods of spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography have shown that the content of mono- and disaccharides in the final product obtained by the presented technology is significantly lower that that obtained by the conventional ethanol extraction. Another advantage of this technology consists in the elimination of the extract filtration and dehydration steps.

Biotechnological methods for obtaining peptides of unique composition by means of protein hydrolysis are widely used in the food, agricultural and medical industries. One promising source of active peptides is considered to be collagen-rich solid byproducts, obtained from the fish-processing industry, whose proteins contain valuable amino acids. For the extraction of proteins, high-temperature processing (thermolysis) with preliminary fermentation is frequently recommended. The resulting dispersion is further divided into peptide, lipid and mineral protein fractions, which are used for various purposes. This method was proposed by the ANiMOX GmbH company (Germany) and tested in the Kaliningrad State Technical University (KSTU, Russia). At the fish product canning enterprises of the Kaliningrad region, about 50% of fish solid wastes (heads, ridges, bones, scales, entrails), which approximately equals to 10 tons per day, remains unprocessed. This work is aimed at comparing the quality of hydrolysis products obtained from collagen-rich solid fish wastes by the thermal, fermentative and combined methods. A series of experiments was carried out using waste product samples from the RosKon fish cannery complex. Proteins were obtained by three methods: fermentolysis, thermolysis and the combination of fermentolysis and thermolysis. Using centrifugation, the obtained suspensions were divided into the upper (fat), medium (water) and lower (sedimentary) fractions. The aqueous (medium) fraction presents a solution of peptides. Depending on the modes of the method used, peptide mixtures with a molecular weight (MW) from 0,1 kDa to 100 kDa were obtained. Low-molecular weight peptides with a MW lower than 10 kDa are considered to possess a high nutritional value, since they exhibit a high biological activity and are easily digested. During the hydrolysis of sardinella heads, the highest and the lowest yields of peptides with a MW lower than 10 kDa were achieved by fermentolysis (97,7%) and thermolysis (40,6%), respectively. The composition of amino acids in peptides is shown to depend on the type of both raw material and hydrolysis; however, all peptide fractions contain essential amino acids (leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, etc.). Glycine, aspartic and glutamic acids, which are characteristic of collagen proteins, are established to prevail among other acids. The lyophilized peptide solutions obtained by all hydrolysis methods are demonstrated to contain more than 82% of proteins (calculated with reference to dried substance), less than 6% of mineral substances and less than 5% of fat. It should be noted that the peptides obtained by thermal hydrolysis exhibit the lowest amount of impurities. The obtained peptides can be used in the composition of animal feed (aquaculture, cattle, poultry), food additives, specialized nutrition for athletes and the elderly, as well as in microbiological media, cosmetic and medical preparations.

Microbial polysaccharides with high moisture-binding activity synthesized during the growth of probiotics are known to improve such technological properties of dairy products as resistance of milk gels to syneresis, as well as the adaptive properties of probiotic microorganisms and their adhesion to the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract. In this paper, we present the results of an experimental study carried out to investigate the synthesis of microbial polysaccharides by means of probiotic consortia based on an assessment of changes in the content and ratio of bound moisture. The state of moisture in fermented probiotic products was evaluated by differential thermal analysis using a Synchronous Thermal Analyzer, as well as by the thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and non-isothermal kinetic methods. Research samp-les included lowfat fermented probiotic milk-vegetable systems containing the following microbial consortia: No. 1 - Str. thermophilus, L. сasei subsp., L. rhamnosus; No. 2 - Str. thermophilus, L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. fermentum; No. 3 - Str. thermophilus, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. adolescentis; No. 4 - Str. thermophilus, L. сasei subsp., L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. fermentum, B. bifidum, B. longum, B. adolescentis, all taken at a concentration of 109 CFU/mL. A mixture of the Vitazar, Flarabin, and Flavocen dietary supplements was used as a biologically active plant component. Reference samples consisted in skimmed milk and casein gel, with the latter being obtained by the acid coagulation of skimmed milk using concentrated hydrochloric acid. The process of dehydration in the reference samples of skimmed milk and casein gel is shown to occur within a more narrow temperature range compared to those of the fermented systems. This indicates an increase in the content of bound moisture in these systems resulting from the synthesis of exopolysaccharides by probiotic microorganisms. A quantitative assessment of moisture fractions characterised by different types of bonding was performed using experimental curves obtained by the TGA method. The ranges of endothermic effects, indicating a stepwise removal of moisture, have been determined in accordance with the form and energy of the association of moisture with the experimental sample biopolymers. The obtained results demonstrate a pronounced exopolysaccharide activity on the part of the probiotic consortia under study.

Pyrolysis of East Khoot coal was carried out at different heating temperatures and yields of solid, liquid and gaseous products were determined. It was discovered that the optimal heating temperature is 500-550°C. Raw coal from the East Khoot deposit and pyrolysed coal samples were analysed for ash content and composition. The results of proximate, ultimate and petrographic analysis confirm that the East Khoot coal is a low-grade (B2) brown coal. The porosity of raw coal, char of pyrolysed coal and activated carbon of pyrolysed char was determined by means of scanning electron microscopes. The liquid tar product of pyrolysed East Khoot coal was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and its liquid tar pyrolysis product by means of GC/MS chromatography.

In this paper, solid fuels made of plant biomass or its blends with plastic additive were studied as an alternative to fossil coals. For this purpose, experimental and calculation methods were applied to determine the higher (HHV_i) and lower (LHV_i) heating values of individual components of plant biomass (lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses, extractives, etc.), as well as of some components of plastics. The experiments were carried out using an oxygen bomb calorimeter, whereas calculations were performed by the equations: HHV_i (kJ/g) = E_o M^-1(x + 0,295y - 0,42z) and LHV_i (kJ/g) = E_o M^-1(x + 0,242y - 0,42z); where E_o = 413 kJ/mol, x, y and z is number of atoms C, H and O, respectively, in molecule of organic substance or in repeat unit of polymer having molecular mass M. Using the results obtained for individual components, the calorific values of various biomasses and their blends with plastic additives were found according to additivity rule, as follows: HHV = Σ(w_i HHV_i) and LHV = Σ(w_i LVH_i ), where w_i is weight part of the component in the biomass sample. The results revealed that calculated calorific values for the solid fuels were close to experimentally obtained values. The obtained data evidence on adequacy of the additivity rule to evaluate the thermal energy of solid fuels based on biomass. It has been also found that fuel pellets consisting of plant biomass and plastic additive are the most promising solid fuels, since they provide a higher calorific value and increased energy density than the biomass only.

The results of a study of the temperature performance parameters of a Toyota Castle 10W-30SL mineral motor oil having 20% admixture of the Kixx Gold 10W-40SJ partially-synthetic motor oil are presented. For the testing process, the following items were used: a device for the temperature control of oils, a photometric device and electronic scales. The research method involved testing in two stages: at the first stage, the mineral oil was subjected to thermostatting, while at the second stage its admixture with partially-synthetic oil at temperatures of 160, 170 and 180 °С was tested. Graphs of the dependency of optical density, evaporation and thermal-oxidative stability on the test time were constructed to the test results of the commercially-produced oil and its admixtures. For each temperature, the regression equations of these dependencies were determined, on the basis of which the following were calculated: the onset temperature of oxidation and evaporation processes of oils during temperature control, as well as the critical temperatures of these processes. In the course of the analysis of the research results, we established the influence of the synthetic additive to the mineral motor oil on the service life of the mixed product in terms of the onset temperature of oxidation processes, the critical oxidation temperature, the onset temperature of evaporation and the critical evaporation temperature.

In this research, we investigated the process of heat transfer from the mixture of cottonseed oil and hydrogen to the reactor wall during a vegetable oil hydrogenation reaction in a fixed-bed catalytic reactor. The dependence of the heat transfer coefficient on the flow rate of the gas-liquid mixture, and consequently, on the mixture feeding regime in the reactor, was established. The elucidation of the heat transfer mechanism during hydrogenation is important for controlling the process concerned. This process is known to occur with a significant thermal effect, which can lead to the overheating of the reactor and undesirable reaction products. The temperature regime determines not only the selectivity and rate of the chemical reaction, but also on the overall performance of the hydrogenation reactor. In this research, the process was studied using cottonseed oil with the addition of 30% hydrogenate and technical hydrogen. Nickel alloy in pellets with a size of 3-5 mm was used as a hydrogenation catalyst. The process was simulated in a reactor, which consisted of a thin-walled heat-insulated copper tube under a continuous heating regime. The temperature of the inner reactor wall was maintained constant at the level of 200 °C. The temperature inside the reactor was monitored using a four-zone thermocouple reader. As a result, dependencies between the heat transfer coefficient and the gas-liquid mixture flow regimes in the reactor have been established. The obtained dependencies provide a better understanding of heat transfer processes occurring in fixed catalyst beds. In order to increase the efficiency of vegetable oil hydrogenation, these dependencies should be taken into account during both the design of hydrogenation reactors and their operation. The calculation of the surface area, where the heat transfer takes place, and the amount of coolant used in the reactor is possible only with the use of these dependencies.

A formulation for the preparation of isotonic drinks based on the tissue fluid of the rhopilema jellyfish (Rhizostomeae) Rhopilema Asamushi is proposed. While jellyfish are made up primarily of water (up to 97% of undried weight), the main chemical factors in maintaining the water-salt balance of jellyfish tissues under environmental pressure conditions are free amino acids (up to 10% of dry weight) and various mineral elements (up to 65% of dry weight). The proportion of the latter significantly exceeds the protein component (up to 20% of dry weight), which distinguishes jellyfish from most species of animals. Prevailing tissue elements are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium and selenium. Known technologies of jellyfish processing are aimed at obtaining a dense and stable structure of the semi-finished product, while the liquid fraction is removed during processing. In so doing, at least 70% of all water content, as well as mineral elements, free amino acids and water-soluble proteins dissolved in it, are lost. Herein, a method is proposed for separating the liquid fraction of jellyfish tissues from high-molecular impurities using the ultrafiltration method. Due to the presence of low molecular weight soluble components, the solution obtained can serve as the basis for the creation of isotonic drinks containing biologically active substances. As a result, a formulation of isotonic drinks is developed, which brings the value of the osmotic pressure of the obtained product to the limits of the established norms (270-330 mOsm/kg). In this regard, the composition of the formulation includes carbohydrates (glucose and fructose) in the amount of 6,5 g per 100 ml of product. Additionally, a preservative, acidity stabilisers and antioxidants (citric and ascorbic acids) are used, as well as the berry extracts in order to impart attractive organoleptic properties to product. In addition to performing the function of restoring the water-salt balance, these drinks can serve as additional sources of such mineral components as iron, chromium and selenium.

This paper presents the results of a research study aimed at the selection of an optimal concentration of flaxseed flour used as an additive in composite mixtures for baking. It has been previously revealed that native (full-grain) whole ground flaxseed flour is rich in proteins, fats, and ash constituents, thus being suitable for bread making. In this research, the effect of native whole-grain flaxseed flour of different flax varieties and sprouted flax seeds on the quality of bakery products is studied. The optimal baking composition of wheat and flaxseed flour is determined, taking into account the specific features of flax varieties in terms of the consumer perception and physicochemical indicators of bread. It is shown that the addition of any native whole-ground flaxseed flour to the baking mixture, even in proportions as low as 10%, improves the nutritional properties of bread. It is established that the optimal concentration of flaxseed flour in the baking mixture equals 15%. A smaller amount of flaxseed flour exhibits no significant effect on the bread quality and its consumer characteristics, though inhibiting the development of mould on finished products. It was observed that the Zaryanka flax variety imparts the best taste and aroma to bread. For the production of functional bread products enriched with proteins and fats, but having a minimum fibre content, 5-7 day old sprouted flax seeds can be used.

This paper investigates the possibility of using dry demineralized milk whey, eggshell powder and rowanberry puree in the production of bakery products for dietary nutrition. The formulations of new bakery products based on these natural additives, their quality indicators and technologies for their production were developed at the Department of Technology and Organization of Food Production in the Novosibirsk State Technical University. In collaboration with the Laboratory of Biochemistry in the Siberian Federal Research Centre for Agrobiotechnology, the chemical composition of these additives was determined. Eggshells were processed into a fine powder at the Laboratory of the Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry of the RAS Siberian Branch. The optimal ratio of ingredients in the bakery product formulations was determined by mathematical modelling. The finished products were investigated according to their organoleptic and physicochemical parameters. It is established that the addition of dry demineralized milk whey, eggshell powder and rowanberry puree into the recipes of bakery products can improve the organoleptic characteristics of the latter, thus increasing their nutritional value. In addition, these additives can be used for the development of new functional food products enriched in calcium, proteins and β-carotene with increased antioxidant activity.

In this work, we investigate a combined effect of bioprotective cultures and inert gas packaging on the preservation of semi-finished vegetable products under the conditions of standard refrigerated storage. For the preparation of semi-finished vegetable products, fruits of red and yellow bell pep-per, zucchini and eggplant, as well as celery stalks and Iceberg lettuce heads were used. These products were packaged using a flat multilayer film PA/adhesive/PE and a combined film material PET/A1/PE (Lyon company, Russia), along with food gas mixtures Biogon ®NC20 and Biogon ®NC40 (Linde Gas, Russia). Microbial single-strain preparations produced by Chr. Hansen (Den-mark) were used as biobarrier cultures. Technological recommendations for treating semi-finished vegetable products by a suspension of bioprotective cultures, which are resistant to the inert gas media of Biogon ® NC40, are presented. The products were packaged in a gas-barrier film using a mixture of Biogon ® NC40. The as-packaged semi-finished products were stored in a refrigeration chamber at a temperature not exceeding 4 ± 2 °C. The effect of the modified gas media of Biogon ® NC40 and Biogon ® NC20 on the viability of Lactobacillus sakei, Pediococcus acidilactici surva-tus, Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc carnosum cultures was studied. A mixture of Biogon NC40 and Lactobacillus sakei is found to be optimal for preserving the quality of semi-finished pepper, egg-plant and zucchini. Iceberg lettuce is best preserved using Leuconostoc carnosum. The proposed method for the bio-preservation of semi-finished vegetable products has been introduced into production in the Russian company 'Velikoross' (St.-Petersburg).

The article briefly discusses aspects of the pollution of wastewater with zinc and cadmium compounds. Among the methods developed for treating such wastewater, adsorption technologies, which require the availability of effective, accessible and budget-friendly sorbents, are dominant. The most appropriate way of manufacturing such sorbents is from waste products generated by other industries. Given the fact that lignin comprises a large-tonnage waste of wood chemistry, organochlorine, epichlorohydrin and sodium polysulphide production, the possibilities of using sulphur-containing sorbents obtained from lignin for the extraction of zinc and cadmium compounds from aqueous solutions are considered. Experimental data on the pH effect on the extraction of the studied ions and their adsorption kinetics are obtained. The dependence of the adsorption value on the initial concentration of ions is constructed in the form of adsorption isotherms. Due to the complex coordination mechanism of sorption of Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions by sulphur-containing sorbents, thermodynamic and kinetic dependencies can be seen to deviate from the predications of classical laws. In this regard, the method of regression analysis is used to process the experimental data, with the obtained nonlinear equations of regression satisfactorily describing the observed regularities.

The aim of this work was to study the elemental composition of bioactive sewage sludge produced by wastewater treatment facilities located in various cities during the biological and chemical treatment of wastewater. In addition, the possibility of recycling and re-using such sediments was assessed. The elemental composition was characterized using X-ray fluorescence analysis, whereas the presence of heavy metals was determined by the method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a preliminary wet ashing of the samples in a microwave oven. The experimental results showed significant amounts of Ca, P, Si and S in the bioactive sludge samples under study. The content of heavy metals in the secondary sediments of biological wastewater treatment plants was studied, with the possibility of using these sediments as an unconventional fertilizer being assessed. The increased content of heavy metals is shown to be characteristic of samples obtained from a wastewater treatment plant in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. The secondary precipitates from the cities of Kazan and Zelenodolsk did not exceed the norms established for the 1st group sediments by GOST R 17.4.3.07-2001, 2008 in terms of the heavy metal content. An increase in the concentration of some heavy metals after a combined biological treatment with reagent preparations was established.

The interaction of vinyl acetate with 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole under conditions of free radical initiation of functional copolymers, containing hydrophilic triazole and hydrophobic acetate fragments in their structure, are synthesised. In order to obtain copolymers of different composition that are well-soluble in water and organic solvents, the ratio of monomers in the initial reaction mixture was varied. By evaluating the reactivity of monomers, it was established that 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole exhibits greater reactivity compared to vinyl acetate. Copolymers exhibiting the properties of high-resistance organic semiconductors, characterised by a specific electrical conductivity of the order 10^-14-10^-15 S/cm, have high resistance to thermal-oxidative degradation: the beginning of thermal decomposition occurs at temperatures of 300-330 °C. The structure, composition and physicochemical properties of the copolymers were characterised by elemental analysis methods, IR and NMR¹H spectroscopy, turbidimetric titration, as well as thermogravimetric analysis.

The superbase-catalyzed vynilation of phenols in the KOH/DMSO media using 1,2-dichloroethene as a synthetic precursor of acetylene was investigated. It was shown that the major product of this reaction proved to be the corresponding diether (yields up to 56%) instead of the expected vinyl ether.