GIS ANALYSIS OF SURFACE-WATER CHEMISTRY SUSCEPTIBILITY AND RESPONSE TO INDUSTRIAL AIR-POLLUTION IN THE KOLA-PENINSULA, NORTHERN RUSSIA

The Kola Peninsula (Figure 1) is the most industrially developed and u rbanized region in the Russian North. The main pollution sources are t he large smelters Severonickel and Pechenganickel, which are responsib le for > 80 % of SO2 emission and nearly 100 % of the Ni and Cu emissi on in the region. The heterogeneous structure of the hydrologic networ k and geochemistry across the region cause natural variability in wate r chemistry. Due to moist and cool climate, large territories on the K ola are sensitive to acid precipitation, but around the smelters, geol ogical peculiarities, erosion and alkaline dust emissions increase buf fering capacity of waters to acidification. Lake and river monitoring implemented from 1989-1993 by the laboratory of water ecosystems, Inst itute of Northern Ecology Problems was a basis for GIS-analysis (ARC/V IEW-2.1) of the major constituents of water chemistry attributed to an thropogenic load in the region. After correction for sea salt, acid-ne utralizing capacity (ANC) of waters was calculated. The highest concen trations of anthropogenic non-sea sulfates were confined to the distri cts with high cation concentrations (Na+ + K+ + Ca2+ + Mg2+) that redu ced negative effects. The most vulnerable regions were found in the no rthern tundra and high mountain tundra.