Jo H. Halleraker

Rainwater composition in eight arctic catchments in northern Europe (Finland, Norway and Russia)

Monthly rainwater samples were collected during the summer of 1994 in eight arctic catchments in northern Europe (four in Russia, three in Finland, one in Norway), at different distances and wind directions from the emissions of the Russian nickel ore mining, roasting and smelting industry on the Kola Peninsula. Three stations consisting of five samplers each were placed in open areas in all the catchments. Results show that close to the smelters in Monchegorsk, rainwater is strongly enriched in Ni (633 x), Co, Cu, As, Mo, Al (36 x), V, Cd, Sb, Pb (11 x), Zn, Fe, Sr, Na, S/SO4 (6 x), Cl, Cr, Se (4 x) and Ag when compared to a Finnish background catchment. Three sources of elements can be differentiated: natural dust, sea spray and anthropogenic (smokestack emissions and dust). Correlation diagrams and element ratios can be used to identify the different industrial processes and even ore feed changes at one smelter.

Reliability of moss (Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi) as a bioindicator of atmospheric chemistry in the Barents region: Interspecies and field duplicate variability

As part of a collaborative ecogeochemical mapping project in the European Arctic, the terrestrial mosses Hylocomium splendens (Hs) and Pleurozium schreberi (Pl) have been used to document atmospheric chemistry. The regional importance of the variability of interspecies and field duplicate samples on the element distribution in the central Barents region has been calculated. Of the 36 elements studied, 17 have significantly different concentrations in the two species. Except for K, in which all Pl samples are significantly enriched compared to Hs samples, all elements showed at least one pair that displayed the opposite behaviour to the overall trend. For the regional data set of the central Barents region, the interspecies results for (B), Bi, Cd, Co, Fe, Mn, (Na), Ni, P, Pb, S, Si, Sr, Th, U, V and Zn are directly comparable without calibration, due to lack of significant interspecies differences or a higher field duplicate uncertainty. The regional distribution of Ag, Ba, Hg, K and Sb must be interpreted cautiously in background areas, since these elements lack interspecies correlation and show significant differences between the species. Furthermore, calibration may be advisable for Al, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo, Tl and V for which the interspecies ratio (Pl:Hs) varies from 0.56 to 0.91, and Ca, Cd, Mg, Pb and Rb for which the ratio varies from 1.10 to 1.38. However, as a result of our study we recommend that the original data be used without undertaking calibration, but interspecies ratios need to be quantified in all multispecies datasets. Calibrated maps of the latter elements gave no striking changes in the patterns, and a new uncertainty is introduced by calibrating the original data sets. Striking differences between interspecies ratios from six comparable studies are found, especially for As, Ni, Pb and V, which underline the fact that interspecies variations depend greatly on deposition levels and living conditions for the moss.

Regional atmospheric deposition patterns of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb and Tl in a 188,000 km2 area in the European arctic as displayed by terrestrial moss samples-long-range atmospheric transport vs local impact

Abstract The regional atmospheric deposition patterns of Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb and Tl have been mapped in a 188,000 km2 area of the European Arctic (N Finland, N Norway, NW Russia) using the moss technique. The Russian nickel mining and smelting industry (Nikel and Zapoljarnij (Pechenganikel) and Monchegorsk (Severonikel)) in the eastern part of the survey area represents two of the largest point sources for S02 and metal emissions on a world wide basis. In contrast, parts of northern Finland and northern Norway represent still some of the most pristine areas in Europe. The terrestrial mosses Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi were used as monitors of airborne deposition. Samples in all three countries were collected during the summer of 1995 and analysed in one laboratory using ICP-MS. Maps for most elements clearly show elevated element concentrations near the industrial sites and delineate the extent of contamination. Pollution follows the main wind and topographical directions in the area (N-S). The gradients of deposition are rather steep. Background levels for all the elements are reached within 150–200 km from the industrial plants. The relative importance of long-range atmospheric transport of air pollutants from industrial point sources on the world wide increase of heavy metals observed in the atmosphere is thus debatable for many elements. Increasing population and traffic density, accompanied by increasing local dust levels, may play a much more important role than industrial emissions. The regional distribution patterns as displayed in the maps show some striking differences between the elements. The regional distribution of Hg and TI in the survey area is completely dominated by sources other than industry.

Regional patterns of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) and sulphur in terrestrial moss samples as indication of airborne pollution in a 188, 000 km2 area in northern Finland, Norway and Russia

The geological surveys of Finland and Norway and the Central Kola Expedition in Russia are carrying out a geochemical mapping project in a 188,000 km2 area north of the Arctic Circle. Several sample media (terrestrial moss, organic topsoil (0–3 cm), topsoil (0–5 cm), complete podzol profiles) were collected throughout the area during the summer of 1995 at an average density of one sample station per 300 km2. Colour surface maps of the major airborne pollutants (Ni, Cu, Co and S) from the Russian nickel mining and smelting industry in this area, as recorded by ICP—MS and ICP—AES analysis of terrestrial mosses, clearly show the industrial sites and the areal extent of the pollution. The contrast between background and polluted sites is very large for Ni, Cu and Co, but not for S. Pollution follows the main wind and topographical directions in the area, and gradients towards the west are rather steep. Maps for some additional elements (Fe, Cr, Pb, V, Zn) show the influence of other sources than just airborne pollution on the composition of the mosses. Zn is an example of an element whose local variation is so high that no reliable regional maps can be constructed using the moss technique. A hitherto unknown, large V anomaly was detected in the surroundings of Murmansk.

The state of the ecosystems in the central Barents Region: scale, factors and mechanism of disturbance

Abstract More than 650 locations spread over a 188000-km2 area in the European Arctic (Russia, Finland and Norway) were visited in the course of an ecogeochemical mapping project during 1995. Moss and soil samples were taken for chemical analyses and each site was documented in a series of photographs. The qualitative, empirical data gained during the project shows that the ecosystem is damaged over vast areas. The scale of the damage, as well as its causes, vary from country to country. Industrial activity, including two of the worlds largest SO2 and heavy-metal emission sources on the Kola Peninsula, is responsible for almost all of the pollution and visual ecosystem damage found in the Russian project area. In the Finnish and Norwegian areas, reindeer overgrazing is the major cause of ecosystem damage. The scale of the damage from overgrazing in Finland is comparable to, and in Norway even more extensive than, the industry-related damage found in Russia. Comparison of the two different factors involving human impact (pollution and overgrazing) on a delicate ecosystem provides new information on the mechanisms of ecosystem degradation.

Comparison of plant and precipitation chemistry in catchments with different levels of pollution on the Kola Peninsula, Russia

Highly variable concentration patterns for up to 29 elements were found in three plant-groups (crowberry — Empetrum nigrum; lichen — Cladonia sp.; and terrestrial moss — Hylocomium splendens+Pleurozium schreberi) collected in selected catchments in the central Barents region. Element concentrations in the plants are compared with those observed for rain, snow melt water and snow filter residue collected in the same catchments. Based on these results the suitability of each plant-group as a bio-indicator for atmospheric input of elements is evaluated. Lichen shows by far the lowest concentrations in most major elements (Ca, S, P, Al, Mg, Mn and Fe). The highest levels of Cr, Fe, Mg, and S appear in all three plant-groups near the nickel roaster in Zapoljarnij. In moss and lichen, Ag, Ba, Bi, Cd, and Na show the highest concentration within the impact zone of the nickel refinery in Monchegorsk. However, these plants do not survive in the immediate vicinity of this refinery where concentrations of As, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni and Pb in crowberry are higher than for all other vegetation samples in our study. The three groups react quite different to dust input (e.g. Al, Ba, Ca, K, La, Na, P, Rb, Sr and Y) from the large open cast apatite mine in Kirovsk near Apatity. For a large number of elements all three groups mirror at least a part of the elemental input via precipitation. Each plant-group reflects precipitation chemistry especially well for some elements. Moss reacts most strongly to rain, lichen is probably the best ‘integrator’ and crowberry reflects best the particulate input. Ni is the only element for which all three plant-groups directly reflect the atmospheric input pattern via precipitation. For the other elements the input patterns are often essentially altered. To reliably use plant chemistry for documenting pollution patterns a very large regional contrast in deposition appears to be necessary for most elements.