CONCENTRATIONS OF CD, PH, ZN AND CU IN CONTAMINATED WETLANDS OF THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC

The spatial distribution of the concentrations of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu were studied for contaminated wetlands located by industria l centres and villages influenced by anthropogenic contamination in th e Russian Arctic. For comparison, non-contaminated wetlands were also studied in neighbouring areas. Samples were collected during the perio d 1977-1994 and included: (a) water, (b) particulate matter, (c) botto m sediments, (d) hydric soils and (e) hummock bog peat and polygonal b og peat, For impacted wetlands, the observed ranges for the concentrat ions of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu in water were 0.12-0.8, 0.9-2.5, 2.4-15 and 16-34 mu g l(-1), respectively. For (b)- (e) the corresponding values were [1.2-5.4; 24-37; 120-320; 80-116]; [6.4-17; 34-59; 240-570; 115- 280]; [10-32; 57-78; 315-480; 87-350] and [5.1-53; 51-150; 125-520; 80 -440] mg/kg, dry wt, respectively. The metal concentrations were up to 1000 times higher than background levels determined for non-contamina ted wetlands in the Russian Arctic. The contaminants appear to be a di rect result of localized anthropogenic activity, arising primarily fro m geoprospecting, the oil and coal industry, and domestic waste. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.