Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) offer a sustainable solution to mitigating asphaltene deposition in oil production, minimizing environmental impact and enhancing the operational efficiency in the petroleum industry. The paper investigates the sustainable management of asphaltene deposition in oil production through the application of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs). Three DES formulations were prepared: DES1 (Citric acid:Glycerin, 1:4 ratio), DES2 (Citric acid:Ethylene Glycol, 1:4 ratio), and DES3 (Choline chloride:Glycerin, 1:2 ratio). The physical properties (pH, density, and viscosity) of these DESs were measured. The study utilized Karazhanbas crude oil from Western Kazakhstan, characterized by distinct hydrocarbon groups. The weight composition was as follows: Paraffin-naphthenic 17.2%, Aromatic (light) 10.2%, Aromatic (medium) 8.1%, Aromatic (heavy) 28.2%, Total resins 24.1%, and Asphaltenes 12.2%. The FTIR spectrum of the received DES and asphaltene was also determined. Asphaltene deposition was studied both with and without DES inhibitors. Microscopic tests revealed that DES3 exhibited superior results, as evidenced by significantly smaller asphaltene particle sizes compared to other DES formulations and the control without DES. The findings suggest that DES3 holds promise as an effective inhibitor for asphaltene deposition in oil production, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to address challenges associated with asphaltene-related issues in the petroleum industry. © Engineered Science Publisher LLC 2024.

Southern Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing regions of this country and continued development depends on a sustainable supply of freshwater for multiple purposes. Groundwater in Southern Kazakhstan occurs in a wide variety of hydrogeological conditions with varying levels of quality and vulnerability to contamination. The aim of this paper is to investigate the present groundwater quality through sampling and laboratory analysis of source water from public supply wells, compare results to hydrogeology and known contaminant sources, and indicate where future protections may be needed. Protection from surface-borne contaminants is mainly determined by the thickness of the vadose zone, depth of the groundwater level, presence, thickness and composition of aquifers, and mobility of pollutants. Forty-five wells were sampled, yielding 106 samples of groundwater presently used for drinking water, which were evaluated to investigate the occurrence of potential pollutants and hydrogeology of the region. Of the samples collected, 46 samples were used for analysis of inorganic water chemistry, 30 for individual indicators including metals, and 31 samples for determination of petroleum products. A contaminant inventory database and geospatial database aided the interpretation of the results and allowed the prediction of future water issues. Kazakhstan’s maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs) for metals were exceeded in areas associated with industrial enterprises, while fluoride and nitrate were more closely associated with mining and agricultural sources. Groundwater quality is dependent on hydrogeology and environmental contaminants resulting from historical land uses and must be regularly monitored for drinking water safety. Petroleum hydrocarbons were not detected in any of the drinking water sources.

Backfilling technology is not always used by mining enterprises, which is conditioned by technological and economic factors, such as the need for high mining rates and costs for the technological processes of transporting backfill materials from the daylight surface to the mined-out space. This concerns the underground mining of hard coal, which is a strategic energy resource, in the mines of Ukraine. This paper aims to study the effect of leaving the waste bottom rocks in the mined-out space of the longwall face without their drawing to the earth’s surface on the geomechanical state of the rocks surrounding the longwall face. The geomechanical assessment of the stress state of the rock mass surrounding the longwall face, when leaving the waste rocks from the seam bottom rocks in the mined-out space, is performed by the finite element method using the Ansys software package. A geomechanical model has been developed and substantiated, which adequately reflects the mining-geological conditions for seam mining within the extraction site, the actual structure and properties of the coal-bearing rock stratum, the parameters of the longwall face and the modified powered support for the processes of leaving the rocks in the mined-out space. The values and patterns have been determined of the decrease in the stress intensity concentrations in the coal-bearing roof mass in the frontal bearing pressure zone and destressing zone with an increase in the ratio of the rock pack thickness to the extracting seam thickness. The relative indicators of the load on the powered support section and the lowering of its roof have been determined by the ratio of the thickness of the rock pack formed in the mined-out space to the extracting seam thickness. The proposed mining method is of significant commercial and research interest for owners of coal mines developing thin coal seams because environmental costs for placing waste on the surface are reduced, and the energy potential of coal is increased due to the separation of waste rocks from coal in underground conditions. The need for a cycle of beneficiation of mined mass is eliminated and the geomechanical conditions of coal mining processes are improved. © 2022 by the authors.

The study investigates the concentration of chemical elements in biological tissues (placenta and blood) of women from the Akmola region, Kazakhstan to assess the impact of environmental pollution on maternal and newborn health. The research conducted from 2018 to 2021 involved 67 placental and umbilical cord blood samples collected from women in four Akmola districts. The study utilized instrumental neutron activation analysis and electronic microscopy to determine the concentration of 28 chemical elements. Statistical methods were applied to analyze the distribution, including the mean values, standard deviations, and frequency distribution curves. Significant variability in chemical element concentrations was observed across samples, with notable differences in rare earth elements and heavy metals. Elements such as sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and chromium (Cr) displayed high variation. The study identified a strong environmental influence on the accumulation of toxic elements in the placenta and blood. The accumulation of chemical elements in biological tissues was heterogeneous, influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors. Blood was found to be more sensitive to environmental contamination compared to the placenta, indicating the need for enhanced environmental health monitoring in the region. © 2025 The authors.

Corporate social responsibility affects the financial efficiency of the company, but this influence is most significant under certain environmental conditions, demonstrating a tendency to improve the situation in macroeconomics. However, the very mechanism of such influence remains unexplored. For the practical application of corporate social responsibility for the company’s benefit, it is important to connect corporate social responsibility indicators, environmental parameters with financial metrics. The research purpose is to justify the concept of adaptive management of corporate social responsibility for quasi-public sector companies in the context of macroeconomics changing factors. Research methodology: general scientific methods of cognition: comparison, analysis and synthesis, as well as system-situational, dialectical, abstract-theoretical, structural-functional, and systemic. The study hypothesized that by introducing the impact of the quality of CSR management on the financial performance of a quasi-public sector company, it is possible to provide a high gross domestic product growth rate. The concept of corporate social responsibility management for companies in the quasi-public sector has been developed. It was stated that the largest numerical values of the coefficients for 2018 and 2019 are more than 0.7 units. It was during those years, in accordance with the research results, that low (less than 6 %) inflation and a high GDP growth rate (more than 5 %) took place. Using the concept will make it possible to implement a systematic approach in the management of corporate social responsibility and ensure the conditions for achieving goals in the company of the quasi-public sector © 2022. Authors. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons CC BY license

This study presents a numerical and experimental investigation of the thermal performance of borehole heat exchangers for ground source heat pump systems. A 3D model was developed for heat and mass transfer in soil and grout, coupled with 1D conductive and convective heat transfer through the pipe and circulating fluid. The model was implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics and validated using thermal response test data obtained from two 50 m-deep boreholes drilled in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. The root-mean-square deviation between model predictions and TRT data was 0.184°C. The thermal conductivity of the soil (λg = 2.35W/mK) and thermal resistance (Rb = 0.20mK/W) were determined. Simulation results showed that spiral borehole heat exchangers provided the highest heat extraction and reduced drilling depth by 34.6% compared to single U-type. The model aids in optimizing borehole heat exchanger geometry and evaluating material properties for enhanced thermal efficiency. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

The pressing issue of global warming, coupled with the increasing depletion of fossil fuels, highlights the necessity for sustainable energy solutions. In this context, hydrogen stands out as a viable option, possessing the capacity to revolutionize critical industries, including fuel cells, internal combustion engines, and gas turbines. An effective approach to enhancing numerous chemical and technological processes in liquid and steam–gas mixtures is the establishment of cavitation mixing zones for the reacting components. These zones are produced in specialized reactors that operate on the principles of hydrodynamic effects applied to the reaction medium. The study focused on the design of the cavitation-jet chamber utilizing the k– (Formula presented.) Turbulence Model and Particle Tracing Model. As a result, the influence of the inlet velocity on cavitation formation and the uniformity of mixing was investigated. Ripley’s K-function was used to analyze the results of particle distribution. The influence of the screw on flow turbulence and the uniformity of particles was evaluated. Analysis through the K-function indicated a decrease in uniformity at lower velocities, with noticeable turbulization of the flow occurring at high velocities, which facilitated better mixing. In contrast, without the screw, the flow exhibited a high longitudinal velocity and minimal transverse velocity, limiting particle dispersion to the radius of the nozzle and resulting in inefficient mixing. It was found that the inclusion of the screw not only enhanced particle distribution but also maintained the size of the cavitation zones, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the design.

The article discusses the improvement of methods of tracing transport networks in the context of optimal planning of cities and settlements. It is necessary to provide a systematic approach to planning. The development of the master plan considers the division of the territory into traditional functional zones. Functional zones are modeled in the form of circles and rectangles. Then these zones are divided into separate subsets. Objects located inside functional zones are modeled by points, and objects connecting these points by straight lines. Network tracing is achieved by constructing an orthogonal Steiner network taking into account the weight coefficients of the functional zones. Orthogonal or Euclidean Steiner networks are constructed in subsets. The construction of a network and pedestrian roads inside the functional zones is being carried out. When solving this problem, the calculation of the need for transport is also provided. Optimization of the transport network tracing is as follows: for a given set of points, it is required to determine the number and optimal location of additional points, so that the total length of the network is minimal. The shortest path to the points is determined. Optimization geometric models are an effective and visual means of developing various options for tracing the network between functional zones and within zones. From several network tracing options, a network that meets the pre-set planning requirements is selected. Allows you to analyze and make the right decision in determining the promising direction of development and construction of a city or settlement. © 2023 K. A. Kuspekov.

Problems with increasing heavy metal contents in natural waters are becoming a global issue. At the same time, improved methods for water treatment are becoming increasingly important. In this context, natural zeolites can be used to purify polluted water. In this paper, we investigated how the adsorption capacity of natural zeolites can be improved. Natural zeolites from the Shankanay district, Almaty, Kazakhstan, were used as adsorbent material for experiments on improving the water treatment of heavy metals. We found that the adsorption capacity for heavy metals was increased greatly by thermal activation using furnace treatment. The optimal thermal activation condition was about 550 °C for a duration of 2 h. However, the improved adsorption capacity for different heavy metals varied depending on the heat treatment temperature. Adsorption by the heat-treated zeolites at a temperature of 550 °C was 87% for nickel, 99% for copper and cadmium, and 100% for lead. Adsorption by heat-treated zeolites at a temperature of 500 °C was 78% for nickel, 98% for copper, 83% for cadmium, and 88% for lead. The residual concentration of heavy metals in the filtered water did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations for drinking purposes. In all experiments, intense adsorption took place during the first 10 min representing 35 to 61% of the metal ions in the water. Adsorption properties were verified using adsorption capacity (BET), IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The study shows that modified Shankanay natural zeolites have great potential as a low-cost adsorbent material for purifying water from heavy metals. © 2023 by the authors.

The paper contains the laboratory study results for the flotation processing of gold-containing tailings with the use of the composite reagent (CF). The CF flotation reagent is a microemulsion from a composition of sodium butyl xanthate and reaflot. A gold-containing concentrate was obtained with a gold content of 6,7 g/t with a recovery of 59,71 % in the basic mode. The use of the CF composite flotation reagent increases the gold extraction into the gold-containing concentrate by 3,77 %, as compared with the main collector-sodium butyl xanthate. The con-sumption of CF flotation reagent is reduced by 20 %. © 2022, Faculty of Metallurgy. All rights reserved.