Impact of emissions of aluminum production in Northern Kazakhstan on the species structure and nature of fluorine accumulation in small mammals

In the industrial zone of aluminum production in Pavlodar the fauna and population of the natural steppe communities of small mammals were studied in areas with different man-made burden. Small mammals are distributed unevenly across the territory. It was stated that the number of small mammals was decreased, the species composition was depleted, and the structure of animals dominance as they approach the sources of pollution was disturbed. A tendency to increase the accumulation of fluorine in animal organisms as they approach the emission sources was revealed. In the narrow-skulled voles, southern birch mice and juveniles of the Asian hamster there is a tendency to a linear increase in the accumulation of fluorine in the bones, as well as in the soil as it approaches the plants. The peak concentration of fluoride in these cases falls on the closest distance from the factory. The highest average concentration of total fluorine was found in southern birch mice. The narrow-skulled voles and southern birch mice can be recommended as the most suitable species-bioindicators of toxic pollution of the aluminum industry. This is due to their relatively high number and occurrence in almost all the studied areas.