Spatiotemporal profile and ecological impacts of major and trace elements in surface sediments of marginal seas of the Arctic and Northern Pacific Oceans

Abstract

The status and ecological impacts of sedimentary elements of the marginal seas of Arctic and Northern Pacific Oceans was investigated during 2016 to 2018 by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Industrial (0.006 mg kg−1–64.6 g kg−1), precious (0.003–43.8 mg kg−1), rare earth (0.006–112.9 mg kg−1), and heavy metal (0.009–398.9 mg kg−1) elements showed spatial variation, and temporal uniformity. The results indicated ΣREEs and light REEs enrichment compared to chondrite and heavy REEs, respectively, while nonsignificant positive and negative δCe and δEu anomalies existed, respectively. High contamination and extreme enrichment of priority control, industrial (As, Mo, Re, Sb), precious (Au, Ir, Pd, Pt, and Ru) and RE elements indicated potential moderate to high ecological and biological risks. The study highlighted the ecological importance and fragile nature of these ecosystems and calls for an urgent action to ensure sustainability of these ecosystems.