Scholarly record

TECHNOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF HEAVY METAL STREAMS IN THE SOILS OF THE KOLA PENINSULA

Ekaterina Elsukova

Abstract

The Murmansk region is in the group of the old industrial regions of the Arctic zone. Mining, metallurgical, chemical and other industries have been intensively developing in the region since the 1930s. The main environmental problems of the region include pollution of the environment and waste generation. Staff of the Department of Geoecology and Nature Management of St. Petersburg State University has conducted monitoring studies in the impact area of the Severonickel since 2001. According to the wind rise monitoring sites are set at distances of 6-7, 12, 23-25 and 36-40 km (background) from the source of pollution in the southern direction. There research is worked out by the method of the geoecological profiling. At each site a profile is laid through all the relief elements, a description of the physical and geographical parameters is made and samples of soils and plants are sampled for chemical analysis. ? significant excess of the standards for nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium was revealed. At sites of 6-7 km and 12 km, the content of these elements in the O-horizon is higher than in the B-horizon. This fact confirms the predominantly anthropogenic origin of these metals in soils. The maximum of most studied elements is observed at sites of 6-7 km and 12 km. The content of mobile forms of nickel and copper in the upper horizon of soils has been decreasing from 2001 till 2016 due to the decreasing of emissions to the atmosphere; actually it has been increasing in the illuvial horizon. Despite the reduction of the emissions and the gradual restoration of vegetation, a high level of soil pollution with metals still remains.

Publication details

Back to publication list