Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu in contaminated wetlands of the Russian Arctic

The spatial distribution of the concentrations of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu were studied for contaminated wetlands located by industrial centres and villages influenced by anthropogenic contamination in the Russian Arctic. For comparison, non-contaminated wetlands were also studied in neighbouring areas. Samples were collected during the period 1977–1994 and included: (a) water, (b) particulate matter, (c) bottom sediments, (d) hydric soils and (e) hummock bog peat and polygonal bog peat. For impacted wetlands, the observed ranges for the concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu in water were 0.12–0.8, 0.9–2.5, 2.4–15 and 16–34 μg l⁻¹, respectively. For (b)- (e) the corresponding values were 1.2–5.4; 24–37; 120–320; 80–116]; 6.4–17; 34–59; 240–570; 115–280]; 10–32; 57–78; 315–480; 87–350] and 5.1–53; 51–150; 125–520; 80–440] mg/kg, dry wt, respectively. The metal concentrations were up to 1000 times higher than background levels determined for non-contaminated wetlands in the Russian Arctic. The contaminants appear to be a direct result of localized anthropogenic activity, arising primarily from geoprospecting, the oil and coal industry, and domestic waste.