MODERN CONTAMINATION OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS AND ECOLOGICAL STATE OF MACROZOOBENTHOS IN THE COASTAL ZONE AT VLADIVOSTOK (PETER THE GREAT BAY, JAPAN SEA)

Abstract

Contamination of bottom sediments in Peter the Great Bay is spatially variable, but for majority of stations it exceeds the natural geochemical background and «safe» level with at least one pollutant, mainly with hydrocarbons, pesticides, cadmium and mercury. The main sources of contaminants are the waste discharge of Vladivostok and other cities (oil products, pesticides, phenols, heavy metals: Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and rivers fall into the northern parts of Amur and Ussuri Bays (Co, Mn, Ni, Fe). The Golden Horn Bay and the Bosphorus East Strait are the most polluted areas, where concentrations of both heavy metals and hydrocarbons exceed the natural background and «safe» level considerably. The Amur Bay has moderate contamination, and the Ussuri Bay is contaminated slightly. Recently the chemical contamination and eutrophication are the main factors that determine the ecological status of bottom populations, though the former one is valid locally, in the most contaminated areas only.

Keywords

• донные отложения
• химическое загрязнение
• макрозообентос
• экологическое состояние
• залив петра великого