Most of the 200 km toxic slick in the Amur River have passed the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia's Far East. As it moves along the river, the slick is being diluted by clean water, which lowers the concentration of chemicals in the contaminated area. Water samples taken from the Amur have showed that the concentration of nitrobenzene and other chemicals in the river in the affected area does not exceed the maximum permissible level. Local authorities continue to implement safety measures, using absorbent carbon to purify the water. Patrol groups are ensuring that no fishing takes place in the area.
About 100 metric tons of chemicals, including potentially lethal benzene, spilled into the Songhua River, a tributary of the Amur, after an explosion on November 13 at a Chinese petrochemical plant. The resulting toxic slick has been moving along the Amur ever since, causing a major environmental safety concern in the region.
09-Jan-06 
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