Assessment of the Distribution of Heavy Metals in Soils of Severny Island (Novaya Zemlya)

Abstract

Global warming occurs the fastest in polar latitudes, increasing their economic accessibility and, consequently, entailing risks of technogenic contamination. Heavy metals (HM) are among the most common technogenic pollutants that may negatively affect the functioning of the Arctic's soil-based terrestrial ecosystems. There is almost no research on the actual HM content in the soils of Novaya Zemlya (NZ), and the purpose of this work is to assess the HM content in the soils of Severny Island in the NZ archipelago. The study was performed at Russkaya Gavan, Ledyanaya Gavan, Blagopoluchiya Bay, and Cape Zhelaniya. The soil cover in the northern part of Severny Island has a mosaic structure. On Severny Island, Cryosols (Loamic) are the most common soils among the soils studied in this work. Soils of the study regions on Severny Island are mostly loamy and clayey. The proportion of physical clay increases down the profiles. All study soils of NZ are alkaline and highly alkaline. In general, study soils have an acceptable level of HM contamination. The weighted average HM gross content in them varies insignificantly; however, the following elements exceed their threshold concentrations: Fe (1.1 clarke) – Russkaya Gavan bay; Fe (1.2 clarke), Cr (1.1 clarke), V (1.1 maximum permissible concentration (MPC)), Ti (1.1 clarke) – Blagopoluchiya bay; Fe (1.3 clarke) – Ledyanaya Gavan bay. This, apparently, is caused by their high contents in the soil-forming rock. The results obtained confirm the necessity to monitor the study territories in order to be able to assess the degree of pollution and prevent the risk of an environmental disaster in the future