ESTIMATION OF MERCURY ACCUMULATION IN THE OBJECTS OF ANIMATE AND INANIMATE NATURE IN THE NORTH OF EUROPEAN RUSSIA

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the mercury content in various environmental objects of the North European territory of Russia (ETR). The goal is to evaluate the accumulation of mercury in the objects of animate and inanimate nature of the Northern part of ETR on the example of the Arkhangelsk region. The study is based on the results of original research conducted by the authors since 2004. Samples of snow, rain, soil, water and bottom sediments of rivers, lakes, marshes, the White sea, and various tissues of fish species were selected and analyzed for mercury content. Also was Attracted the data on the mercury content in the needles of spruce and epiphytic lichens. The study area included areas with different levels of anthropogenic impact. Determination of Hg concentrations was performed by atomic absorption in the cool steam by certified laboratory of the southern Federal University. Control of repeatability of the obtained results was carried out in FGUGP “Yuzhgeology” and Hydrochemical Institute of Roshydromet. The determination error was about of 10–15%. As one of the results we got series of ranking the levels of mercury accumulation (in ascending order): bottom sediments of lakes → bottom sediments of the White sea → bottom sediments of swamp Ilasskoe → needles of spruce → soils → various tissues of fish species → bottom sediments of the Northern Dvina River estuary → epiphytic lichens; water of the lakes → rain water → snow precipitation → the water of the Northern Dvina River estuary. A relatively high level of mercury in all components of the river ecosystem of the estuary of the Northern Dvina demonstrates the predominant role of anthropogenic receipt of contaminated waters of different origins. In General, the levels of mercury in the region is comparable with other circumpolar regions under anthropogenic influence, and exceeds similar values for the background areas of the subarctic. The results can be used at the improvement of the monitoring network environmental quality, as well as at the development of scientific bases of environmental protection measures.

Keywords

• ртуть
• оценка
• накопление
• донные отложения
• гидробионты
• север Европейской территории России