CHANGES IN TRACE-ELEMENT SPECIATION IN KOLA NORTH SURFACE WATERS DURING SNOW MELT

The powerful mass-now of melt water during the brief period of spring thaw provides a surge of pollutants and causes extremely toxic short t erm conditions. Together with the increase in total metal concentratio ns during this period, a redistribution in metal speciation occurs tha t increases the proportion of more toxic forms. Concentrations of ion- exchangeable fractions of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminium (Al), an d manganese (Mn) show strong negative correlations with pH. The sum of complex metal species shows a strong positive correlation with total organic carbon (TOC). A data analysis model based on relationships obs erved between key parameters and metal behaviour together with gidrolo gical data allowed an assessment of the metal impact on waterbodies fr om accumulated airborne pollution (Ni, Cu) as well as from accelerated leaching from watersheds (Al, Mn).