Anthropogenic and Natural Components of Hydrocarbons in the Water of Lake Nero in Yaroslavl Oblast

Abstract

The results of studies of spatial and seasonal variations in hydrocarbon concentrations in hypertrophic Lake Nero are used to discuss the problem of division of hydrocarbons into anthropogenic and natural components. It is shown that the use of bitumoids as a component of oil pollution instead of total organic matter can introduce errors in the results. Seasonal variations in the activity of hydrobionts in an undisturbed area are shown to have a notable effect on the assessment of the proportion of anthropogenic hydrocarbons in their total concentration, that is, on the assessment of the extent of pollution of water bodies. The natural component is found to dominate over the anthropogenic component only in the periods of algae blooming. In spring and autumn, the total concentration of hydrocarbons was found to exceed the MAC and to be due mostly to natural hydrobiological factors.