Abstract
The results on the content and composition of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water and bottom sediments in the Kara Sea were summarized. It was established that the “losses” in AHC concentrations in surface waters in the zone of mixing of river waters (Ob, Yenisei) with sea water exceeded, in some cases, 90% of their removal by the rivers. The composition of AHCs in surface waters depends on the characteristics of the river catchment, sampling season, and time of day (tide, low tide) and coincides with the distribution of the suspended particulate matter (SPM). The highest content of organic compounds and SPM in surface waters was found in the Gulf of Ob in flood: AHCs – up to 514 μg/L, PAHs – up to 15 ng/L, and SPM – up to 15.5 mg/L. In the Kara Sea, the AHC concentrations increased on average from in low water 10–20 μg/L to flood – 325 μg/L, which is associated with the melting of seasonal ice and growth of primary production. In bottom sediments, the particle size distribution determines the AHCs and PAHs; terrigenous n-alkanes dominate the molecular composition. A comparison was made with the behavior of AHCs and PAHs in the SPM of surface waters and bottom sediments in the estuarine areas of other Siberian rivers.
Published Version
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