HEAVY METALS POLLUTION ASSESMENT OF UNDERPOPULATED REGIONS USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE NORTH-WESTERN REGION OF RUSSIA

Abstract

Two following factors determine the topicality of the preset study: increasing role of recreation branch in the modern Russian economy and necessity to search for unpolluted, "control" territories as a precondition of efficient environmental monitoring. The goal of the present paper is to assess the heavy metals (HM) pollution of unpopulated territory using a combined approach. Methods. The assessment of HM pollution was made in the part of Volga-Baltic canal and adjacent north - western territory of Vologodskaya oblast. The study region is a sparsely populated territory situated far from industrial centers. The samples sediments, fish and mosses were subjected to the "wet" combustion with HNO3 H2O2 mixture. The concentrations of chalcophylic (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) and rear earth elements in these samples (the core sample of bottom sediments, fish muscles caught in Lake Vozhe, Belousovskoye and Vytegorskoye reservoirs and in bog mosses) were determined using ICP-MS DRC-e mass spectrometer. Results. The study revealed that increase of Zn and Pb concentrations in the bottom sediments related to its deposition with atmospheric fallout. At the same time, low contents of Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in the moss Sphagnum magellanicum may indicate inconsiderable level of atmospheric pollution in previous years. The levels of concentration of these elements in the fish muscles were within the limits legislated by sanitary norms (SanPiN). Conclusions. The present study based on the combined approach including analysis of bottom sediment cores, moss and fish tissues allows to make a conclusion that studied unpopulated region of Russia (northwestern part of Vologodskaya oblast) is environmentally clean in respect to heavy metals. Hence, this region may be used for recreation and environmental monitoring.