Mercury in poplar leaves in the urbanized areas of southern Siberia and the Far East

The problem of technogenic contamination by mercury of urbanized territories of the southern part of Siberia and the Far East in the regional and sectoral aspects according to sampling of poplar leaves is considered. The study was conducted according to a single methodology in 35 localities. Quantitative estimates of the distribution of mercury in the leaves of poplar in individual cities and the region as a whole were obtained. The dependence of the growth of the average mercury content in the cities on their population has been established. Revealed are significant in terms of area and length, technogenic biogeochemical aureoles, and mercury dispersion streams that are stable in time in the city of Novosibirsk, in the villages of Aktash and Shelekhov, as well as sources of mercury emissions into the environment located on their territory. Recommendations are made for further research.