Features of antioxidant system of Betula pendula Roth. in the conditions of waste dump Kedrovsky coal cut

Blades arising from open mining are specific in environmental conditions. In terms of waste dumps of Kuzbass most suitable for phytomelioration is Betula pendula Roth., due to the high activity of seed and undemanding to soil fertility. The major mechanism of resistance of woody plants in ex-treme environmental conditions is a multi-level acti-vation of biochemical antioxidant defense system, which includes a large number of components. Among them a special place is occupied by sec-ondary metabolites exhibiting antioxidant proper-ties, in particular peroxidase, malondialdehyde and carotenoids. Researches on the role of the antioxi-dant system in the sustainability of woody plants in disturbed areas of coal mining are relevant. The article presents the results of the study of some indicators of the antioxidant system B. pendula, growing in waste dump of Kedrovsky coal cut. The intensity of lipid peroxidation was assessed by its main product, i.e. malonic dialdehyde with spectro-photometric method using 2-thiobarbituric acid; pe-roxidase activity by A.N. Boyarkin method; the amount of carotenoid content by spectrophotomet-ric method (using a spectrophotometer LEKI SS 1207). Statistical analysis of data was made using the application package Statistica 6.1 and Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The assimilation apparatus B. pendula revealed changes in the content of certain components of the antioxidant system, which was reflected in an increase in peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde, reducing the amount of carote-noids. Identified restructuring in the functioning of the antioxidant system can be seen as adaptive reactions aimed at the survival of plants in terms of environmental waste dump. The experimental data can be used in the assessment of woody plant and diagnose the environmental conditions of disturbed lands.