Abstract
Assessment of the current status of Lake Baikal proved to be based on changes in natural (“preindustrial”) chemical content in basic abiotic and biological compartments of the Lake geosystem. This approach was used to evaluate background “base-line levels” of 6 major and about 50 minor and trace ele-ments in the Lake Baikal water body using a number of most reliable data re-ported within 1992-2012. In terms of environment geochemistry Baikal is one of the purest water reservoirs on the Earth. A simple mass balance model was proposed for assessing possible anthropogenic impact on Baikal water geo-chemistry. Estimations of change trends showed that only for Na+, SO42-, Cl- and Mo growth rate of their average concentrations in the Lake occurred to be 1%, 3%, 7% and 2% in every 10 years. Space-time monitoring schedules for all water body compartments of the Lake are proposed as well as similar moni-toring programs for tributaries, precipitations, bottom sediments, aquatic biota.
Highlights
IntroductionAssessment of the current status of the total biosphere and its components, and forecast of potential man-made changes in them should be based on the knowledge of background content of elements in natural environments [1] [2] [3]
Assessment of the current status of Lake Baikal proved to be based on changes in natural (“preindustrial”) chemical content in basic abiotic and biological compartments of the Lake geosystem
This approach was used to evaluate background “base-line levels” of 6 major and about 50 minor and trace elements in the Lake Baikal water body using a number of most reliable data reported within 1992-2012
Summary
Assessment of the current status of the total biosphere and its components, and forecast of potential man-made changes in them should be based on the knowledge of background content of elements in natural environments [1] [2] [3]. Changes in the chemical budget of the Lake might begin since early 1940-s These considerations were the basis of the studies implemented during 1975-2013 to evaluate background beogeochemical levels and chemical balance of Lake Baikal [5] [6]. A part of most reliable average DF concentrations Cr of some major ions and metals in river waters of the Selenga River and other tributaries obtained in 1974–1983 surveys are given in the Table 2 [5]. These data were used to calculate annual river inflow Pr of these chemicals to the Lake (Figure 2)
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