Water Chemistry of Arctic Lakes under Airborne Contamination of Watersheds

Abstract

The data on the metal contents and acidification of small lakes caused by airborne contamination of the watershed in three industrial regions of the Arctic—European Russia (Kola region), Western (Yamal-Nenets region) and Eastern Siberia (Norilsk region)—have been presented for the first time. It has been proven that acidification and enrichment by metals of water connect with sulfur dioxide and metals emissions from copper–nickel smelters, contaminating the catchments, with associated gas burning during raw hydrocarbon production. To assess the effects of acid deposition, critical loads and their exceeds were calculated: exceeded by 56% and 12.5%, respectively, in lakes in the Kola region and in the north of Western Siberia; the catchments of the East Siberian region are resistant to acidification. Water enrichment factors (EF) by elements were calculated to show that the waters of the Norilsk and Kola regions are enriched with Ni, Cd, As, Sb and Se as a result of emissions from copper–nickel smelters. The oil and gas industry in the northern regions of Western Siberia lead to the increase in V, Pb and Mo concentrations in the waters. The high values of EF and excess of acidity critical loads for water are explained by the local and transboundary pollution impacts on the catchment of small lakes.

Keywords

• Arctic lakes
• water chemistry
• catchment pollution
• acidification
• metal enrichment