Abstract
Over the recent few decades, due to climate warming and the continuing exploration of Arctic seas’ mineral resources, the scientific interest in contamination problems has deepened significantly. In this study, for the first time, we characterize the distribution features of 47 elements (major and trace elements, including heavy metals, metalloid As, and Cs-137 technogenic radionuclide) in surface bottom sediments from some areas of the Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East-Siberian Seas. The lithogenic material was the main factor that controlled variability in many elements (Be, Al, Ti, Cr, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, REE, Pb, Th, U, W, and Cs). Among the hydrogenic processes, the formation of Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides has the greatest impact on the Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ge, and Mo, and insignificantly V and Sb, variability in sediments. These, along with minor to moderate values of enrichment factor (EF) for most elements, allowed us to conclude that the observed element distribution is related to predominantly natural processes of thermal abrasion, river-run, and atmospheric input. The exception is As, which exhibited the elevated EF (up to 20) in the western and central Kara Sea, as well as in the Vilkitsky Strait. Since no significant relationship between As and Fe andMn oxyhydroxides distribution was found, we may assume primarily an anthropogenic source of As, related to the peat and/or coal combustion. According to the criteria of Ecological Risks assessment, all the examined areas have a low degree of risk. Data on the specific activity of Cs-137 correspond to the background average values characteristic for these regions. The highest levels of Cs-137 concentration (Bq/kg) were detected in the sediments of the Ob and Yenisei Rivers’ estuaries.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe development of the resource potential of the Arctic seas is associated with an increase in the anthropogenic impact on the environment
That proportion of granulometric fractions in sediments was estimated without the pebble material; at the same time, the rock fragments coarser than 10 mm were found in the single samples in the Barents Sea (St. 6181, 6197)
In the Barents Sea sediments, a relationship between thethe distribution of mineral comcomplexes and the main sources was noticed, while the geochemical characteristics of plexes and the main sources was noticed, while the geochemical characteristics of sedisediments were naturally related to the variety of mineral complexes marked with structural ments were naturally related to the variety of mineral complexes marked with structural peculiarities of the minerals included [22]
Summary
The development of the resource potential of the Arctic seas is associated with an increase in the anthropogenic impact on the environment. Of particular concern is the increasing pollution of coastal and shelf areas by heavy metals and human-made radionuclides [1]. Natural climate change is reflected primarily in high latitudes areas. According to the ten-year monitoring of the hydrological characteristics of the Kara Sea, an annual increase in the summer deglaciation of the ice sheet was observed [2]. The reduction of the ice cover, in turn, leads to desalination of the Arctic seas, as well as a partial transformation of the chemical composition of the water. The forms of migration of potentially toxic elements, in particular heavy metals and radionuclides, may change
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