The content and dissolution of petroleum products in aqueous media under the influence of environmental factors is extremely dangerous precisely by the transformation of oil in the water column, despite the fact that petroleum products dissolve slightly in water, but the most toxic low-molecular compounds pose a great environmental danger. It significantly suppresses vital processes in reservoirs. The rate of accumulation of petroleum products as a result of technogenic pollution of aquatic environments is much ahead of the rate of their biodegradation. Therefore, the searching of effective ways to purify water media from petroleum products is an urgent task of environmental sci-ences. Natural sorbents have found wide application for water purification, but the main problems of its use are insufficient sorption capacity and high moisture capacity. A lot of plant wastes which are difficult to dispose have been investigated for their sorption activity. While there is no ideal material developed from natural raw materials for the purification of aquatic environments from oil pollution, therefore, the sorption capacity of waste plant raw materials ob-tained in the production of tomato paste by the agro industrial complex "Astrakhan" in relation to petroleum products was investigated. The use of plant sorbents can partially solve the problem of waste disposal and improve environmental safety.

A method of express determination of metals in motor fuel is proposed. These metals can get there in the composition of anti-knock additives or as a result of corrosion. The method allows making determinations outside the laboratory without involving highly qualified specialists. This method of metal determination combines analytical metrological characteristics with expressive-ness and selectivity of determination. The method is based on the visual contrast of the color transi-tion during the interaction of the indicator agents with manganese, iron and lead ions contained in motor fuel. It is based on chromogenic reactions of manganese, iron and lead with indicator agents. The express determinant is a glass tube filled with an indicator agent on a carrier. Small granules of silica gel were used as a carrier; an indicator agent for each metal ion was prepared according to cer-tain methods. The indicator composition has a high sensitivity to compounds containing these metals in its composition. It is possible to detect them in a sample of motor fuel. Using the express method, it is possible to determine metals outside the laboratory conditions, at petrol stations, bases, storage facilities and other enterprises that produce and consume motor fuels.

The article considers the specifics of the language training of students of the specialty “26.05.06 Operation of ship power” plants in terms of the content and educational and methodological support of the work programs of the disciplines “Foreign Language” and “Business English”. A serious problem is the insufficient provision of these disciplines with educational and methodological literature that would meet all modern requirements for the profession of a ship mechanic. As solution to this problem, it is proposed to direct efforts towards the development of high-quality communicative tasks and lexical and grammatical exercises based on authentic texts, including technical documentation, manuals, instructions, regulations, as well as examples of real letters, applications and checklists. An example of guidance paper on one of the topics of the work program of the course “Foreign Language” using the capabilities of language equipment is given.

This article highlights the features of training students in English, studying in the specialty 26.05.05 “Navigation”. The specificity of teaching the subject is due to the content of the work pro-grams in the disciplines “Foreign Language” and “Maritime English”. An urgent task facing the organizers of the educational process is to work out the poor supply of the above-mentioned academic disciplines with educational and methodological literature that meets all modern standards and requirements. For a productive solution of this above-mentioned problem, it is advisable to intensify efforts to develop methodological manuals and recommendations for these disciplines, as for the classroom. The same applies to independent work of students. As an example, the author cites a fragment of his own methodological development within the framework of the topic from the work program for the discipline “Maritime English”.

The article highlights the problem of training specialists at the level of secondary and high-er professional education for the transport industry. The focus is on the scientific student´s work and its role in process of formation general and professional competencies. The analysis of the main direction, of forms and methods for scientific student´s work is carried out. As an example, the organization of scientific work of students in the Samara branch of the VSUVT is considered. The activities of student´s work "Creator", its main achievements are characterized. The importance of scientific work for the formation of a competent and responsible specialist is emphasized in the field of water transport. The author concludes the involving the students into research reality allows them to show them their creative abilities and take place in future professional activities. Research work at the university and college helps the students not only to master the competencies of the FSES, but also to apply them in further work in the specialty.

In this article we will discuss first steps of Soviet Government in the early years of Soviet Republic to build an educational network in places inhabited by small nations. For Bolsheviks it was reasons by their party program. Since the establishment of political power, it hasn’t been so long when Soviets has written their first decrees and directives to build a huge educational network for people who spoke Russian or Native language. General trends, problems and species of national education in USSR will be considered with an example of Russian North and North Caucasus. Will be considered the period from the beginning of the 1920s to the end of the 1930s. Also, will be revealed the results of soviet national policy.