Heavy metals in Baltic herring and cod

The monitoring programme of harmful substances in selected species in the Baltic Sea was started in 1979. In the present study, three-year averages of Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb in cod liver (Hg in cod muscle) and herring muscle are reported. The concentrations of heavy metals in cod show areal differences roughly in accordance with the concentrations of heavy metals in sea water. No significant differences between heavy metal concentrations in North Atlantic and Baltic Sea species were found, except for mercury, for which values in the Baltic Sea species are lower than in those from the North Atlantic.     

Transient upwelling in the central Baltic Sea

The paper presents a theoretical study to explain the regular occurrence of a cold water upwelling cell at the southern east coast of the Gotland island in the central Baltic Sea. While for a circular island up- and downwelling patterns would rotate around the island, the responses around the elongated Gotland island with narrow tips at its southern and northern ends are different. The study uses the example of the response of a coastal ocean to a wind band to develop an understanding of important aspects of generation of Kelvin waves and how the waves change the response patterns.     

Heavy metals in Chukchi Sea sediments as compared to selected circum-arctic shelves

Surficial sediments from 31 stations on the northeastern Chukchi Sea, Alaskan Arctic were analysed by AAS and ICP-AES for Si, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Co, Zn, Ni and V. The metal concentrations are related to the sediment granulometry and show no correlations with organic carbon. Presumably all the heavy metals, except Cr and Co, are either adsorbed on clays and/or coprecipitated with ferrimanganic hydroxide. Cobalt is partitioned in an unknown mineral phase within the sand fraction.

Comparison of the heavy metal concentrations in muds of the Chukchi Sea with those of the high arctic shelves of Russia, East Greenland and the Beaufort Sea shows relatively lower levels of most metals in the Chukchi. Presumably these disparities are related to regional differences in sediment chemistries inherited from natural terrigenous sources rather than to any enhanced pollution in the non-Chukchi areas.

It is suggested that the concentrations and accumulation rates of the heavy metals reported here can serve as reliable baselines to monitor metal pollution in the Chukchi Sea.     

Tar balls in Baltic Sea beaches

The results of studying tar balls on Baltic Sea beaches (the summer of 2008) are given with their comparison with other coastal areas. Tar balls in concentrations of 0.01–1.2 g/running m on the beaches of Sambiiskii Peninsula are found to correspond to a mean level of beach pollution. It is shown that, in addition to weathering, even high-molecular homologues in the composition of tar balls are rapidly decaying. Therefore, the molecular markers currently in use are not unequivocal indicators to the origin of hydrocarbons.     

PAH-profiles in sediment cores from the Baltic Sea

To document the historical input the PAH-profiles of sediment cores in two different basins of the Baltic Sea, the Gotland Basin (GB) and Arkona Basin (AB), were analysed by means of GC-MS. 35 PAHs were quantified in all samples, and additionally, several marker PAHs, like Cyclopenta[cd]phenanthrene (CCP) for combustion processes and retene for terrigenous input, were quantified in selected samples. The preindustrial sediments (older than 200-250 years) in the GB core illustrate concentrations <100 ng PAH15 g(-1) d.w. Calculated PAH-ratios indicated combustion processes as the main sources for both basins. The Perylene concentrations within the sediment cores decrease with increasing depth, along with an increase in relative percentage, indicating slow diagenetic processes. The preservation and enrichment of the introduced PAHs was more pronounced in the GB core.     

Anthropogenic nutrient load of the Baltic Sea

The discharge of nutrients is investigated in relation to their sources and effects in two case studies. The reduction of 47% in the phosphorus load from Denmark to marine areas between 1989 and 1993 has resulted in significantly lower phosphorus concentrations in most Danish coastal waters, and tendency to decrease can be seen in the Belt Sea and Kattegat as well. No general changes in nitrogen concentrations have been observed. This is due to the fact that more than 80% of the nitrogen load in Danish waters originate from diffuse agricultural sources.In the Pomeranian Bight strong nutrient gradients are generated by the mixing of Odra river water and coastal water. The spreading of the river plume could be exactly observed especially in winter, when biological activity is low. In general, different types of distribution, transport and modification patterns can be described.The annual input of nutrients from the catchment area to the Baltic Sea was estimated to be around 1000 kt N and 46 kt P. As a result, winter concentrations of phosphate and nitrate are characterized by positive overall trends in the surface layer in all subregions of the Baltic Proper for the period 1969 to 1993. These trends stem mainly from the strong increase in the 1970ies and early 1980ies. Thereafter, the concentrations of both nutrients fluctuate strongly around a high level. The drastic decrease in fertilizer consumption since the late 1980ies mainly caused by the great economic changes in the countries of the former East Bloc is not yet significantly reflected in decreasing winter concentrations, but first signs already have been found in the decrease in averaged phosphate concentrations in winter, especially in the Arkona and Bornholm Seas.