Heavy metals,aluminum, and arsenic in aerosols of the world ocean

We have investigated concentration levels of heavy metals, aluminum, and arsenic in the near-water layer of the atmosphere. Heavy metal concentrations in the sea aerosols of the seas of the western part of the Arctic are within the range from 0.01 to 1000 ng/m³. The data collected in highland regions of the Arctic Ocean are considered as background values: the least levels of concentrations typical of Cd and Pb (∼0.01 ng/m³), the highest ones—of Al, Fe, and Zn (∼100 ng/m³). In the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean the concentration range of the elements being investigated constitutes 0.1 to 1000 ng/m³. Recurrence of the content of the elements in these regions is determined by natural processes of the matter carry-over and points to the ingress of heavy metals to the aerosol due to its generation by the sea surface. The composition of the aerosol of coastal areas of the Black, Caspian, and Baltic Seas is more varied: the concentration of the elements constitutes 1 to 10⁶ ng/m³. In certain hydrometeorological conditions the concentration of Ni, Fe, and Cr as part of the particles of the aerodisperse phase generated by the sea surface, exceeds the MAC of the air of the working areas of industrial enterprises. The sea aerosol may be a secondary supplier of toxicants to the coastal areas of the seas.     

Heavy metals and essential elements in livers of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in the Canadian Arctic

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) livers (67) from six Management Zones in the western and central Canadian Arctic were analysed for 22 elements. Several, Ba, Be, Co, Mo, Ti, V and Zr, were near the detection limit in all cases. Baseline data were obtained for the remaining elements, Ag, As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Se, Sr and Zn. No statistically significant effect of age, sex or geographical location was found for any of the elements, except Cd, Hg and Se, for which age and geographical location effects were found. The frequency distribution of Zn levels was bimodal. The second peak in the distribution appeared to be related to elevated levels of Cu. The average level of Cu was 104 mg kg-1 (dry wt.), higher than other marine mammals. Average levels of Cd were significantly higher in the eastern zones, but were always less than 1.0 mg kg-1 (dry wt.), significantly lower than their prey species. This may be due to the preference of polar bears for eating seal skin and fat which is low in Cd. Mercury levels tended to be higher in the western zones bordering the Beaufort Sea, which may be related to a higher proportion of bearded seal in their diet. Mean Hg levels ranged from 20 mg kg-1 in the eastern zones were related to age by the expression: Hg (mg kg-1 dry wt.) = 15.7 + 8.0 Age (years). Mercury levels in the most northerly zone near Melville Island were very high: Hg (mg kg-1 dry wt.) = 18.4 + 27.5 Age (years). Levels of Hg and Se were very highly correlated, with a molar ratio of 1.27:1, Hg/Se.     

Persistent organic pollutants in ringed seals from the Russian Arctic

Organochlorine compounds total DDT (ΣDDT), total HCH isomers (ΣHCH), toxaphenes (sum of Parlar 26, 50, 62), mirex, endrin, methoxychlor, total chlorinated benzenes (ΣCBz), total chlordane compounds (ΣCHL), polychlorinated biphenyls (total of 56 congeners; ΣPCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (sum of 7 tri- to hepta congeners; ΣPBDEs) were analysed in the blubber of adult ringed seals from the four areas of the Russian Arctic (White Sea, Barents Sea, Kara Sea and Chukchi Sea) collected in 2001-2005. Ringed seals from the south-western part of the Kara Sea (Dikson Island — Yenisei estuary) were the most contaminated with ΣDDTs, ΣPCBs, ΣCHL, and mirex as compared with those found in the other three areas of Russian Arctic, while the highest mean concentrations of ΣHCHs and PCDD/Fs were found in the blubber of ringed seals from the Chukchi Sea and the White Sea, respectively. Among all organochlorine compounds measured in ringed seals from the European part of the Russian Arctic, concentrations of ΣDDT and ΣPCBs only were higher as compared with the other Arctic regions. Levels of all other organochlorine compounds were similar or lower than in seals from Svalbard, Alaska, the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. ΣPBDEs were found in all ringed seal samples analysed. There were no significant differences between ΣPBDE concentrations found in the blubber of ringed seals from the three studied areas of the European part of the Russian Arctic, while PBDE contamination level in ringed seals from the Chukchi Sea was 30-50 times lower. ΣPBDE levels in the blubber of seals from the European part of the Russian Arctic are slightly higher than in ringed seals from the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, and western Greenland but lower compared to ringed seals from Svalbard and eastern Greenland.     

Heavy metals in rivers of Latvia

Total heavy metal concentrations in waters and sediments (HNO3 digestible Pb, Cu, Co, Ni, Mn, Zn) and their speciation forms in sediments (exchangeable, carbonate bound, iron-manganese oxide bound, organic matter bound and residual) in major and common small watercourses (31 sampling stations) along their flow in Latvia were determined. The metal loads entering the Baltic Sea from Latvia were calculated. Increased metal concentrations were found only in lower reaches of the largest rivers and locally around known industrial pollution sources. Differences in metal concentrations and loads in rivers from different regions of Latvia were related to natural geochemical processes. Metal speciation analysis showed that the dominant metal species are residual metals and those bound to organic matter. Residual and carbonate-bound metal dominated only in rhitral regions of rivers. The concentrations of exchangeable metals increased below pollution sources.     

Heavy metals in the lagos lagoon sediments

Concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were determined in surface sediments of the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. The results revealed largely anthropogenic heavy metal enrichment and implicated urban and industrial wastes and runoff water transporting metals from land‐derived wastes, as the sources of the enrichment. Higher levels (F < 0.05) of cadmium, iron, manganese, nickel and zinc occurred in sediment samples collected near industrialized‐urban areas than in those from unindustrialized‐rural areas only in the wet season. While iron constituted about 1% of dry sediment by weight, the other metals were present in trace amounts.     

Heavy metal contamination in the Taimyr Peninsula,Siberian Arctic

The Taimyr Peninsula is directly north of the world's largest heavy metal smelting complex (Norilsk, Russia). Despite this proximity, there has been little research to examine the extent of contamination of the Taimyr Peninsula. We analyzed heavy metal concentrations in lichen (Cetraria cucullata), moss (Hylocomium splendens), soils, lake sediment, freshwater fish (Salvelinus alpinus, Lota lota and Coregonus spp.) and collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) from 13 sites between 30 and 300 km from Norilsk. Element concentrations were low in both C. cucullata and H. splendens, although concentrations of Al, Fe, Cu, Ni and Pb were significantly higher than those in Arctic Alaska, probably due to natural differences in the geochemical environments. Inorganic surface soils had significantly higher concentrations of Cd, Zn, Pb and Mg than inorganic soils at depth, although a lake sediment core from the eastern Taimyr Peninsula indicated no recent enrichment by atmospherically transported elements. Tissue concentrations of heavy metals in fish and lemming were not elevated relative to other Arctic sites. Our results show that the impact of the Norilsk smelting complex is primarily localized rather than regional, and does not extend northward beyond 100 km.     

Measurements of mercury in the near-surface layer of the atmosphere of the Russian Arctic

A series of measurements of gaseous elemental mercury concentrations in near-surface air of the Russian Arctic Region were carried out from 1994 to 1997. The measurements were conducted in Murmansk at a stationary site in April-May 1994, on a cruise in Motovsky Bay and Kola Bay during May-June 1996, and along the Russian Northern Sea Route in April-May 1997 on board the nuclear icebreaker 'Soviet Union'. Silver absorption was used for trapping of mercury and the mass of mercury was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometery. Detection limits were approximately 0.3 ng/m(3) (+/- error 46%). Sixty samples were selected and analysed. Sample volumes were 2.2 m(3) ashore, and up to 6.6 m(3) over water. The meteorological conditions, including a wind speed and direction, during the sampling period were typical of the spring-summer period of year, and therefore the concentrations of atmospheric mercury are regarded as representative for this season. The mean concentrations of mercury ranged from 2.2 ng/m(3) for Murmansk city, 1.7 ng/m(3) for Kola Bay, 1.6 ng/m(3) for Motovsky Bay, 1.1 ng/m(3) for the eastern part of the Barents Sea and 0.7 ng/m(3) for the western part of the Kara Sea. The levels of mercury in Murmansk, and over Kola and Motovsky Bays were associated with a primary direction of a near-surface wind from the nearest sources of mercury emission located in the Russian North region. These are the non-ferrous metallurgical plants in Nickel in the case of Motovsky Bay and Murmansk garbage-disposal plant, for sampling points in Murmansk and over Kola Bay. These concentrations of mercury, measured in the spring-summer season, in near-surface air of the Russian North, are more than two-fold lower than the concentrations that are typical of continental background regions in western Russia, and are comparable to the concentrations measured in the Arctic regions of other countries.     

Heavy metals in animals of Lake Balaton

Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations were measured in Chironomidae larvae, Crustacea plankton, as well as in various organs of mussels and fishes collected from the open water area of Lake Balaton. The values were comparatively low. However, there were significant differences in the metal concentrations of species and tissue.Most Cd was found in the gill of Unio pictorum L., most Pb, Zn and Mn in the gill of Anodonta cygnea L., most Cu in Crustacea plankton and in the liver of Abramis brama L., and most Hg and Fe in Chironomidae larvae. Low concentrations occurred in fishes, the lowest in the flesh of Stizostedion lucioperca L.Accumulation of metals in organs as compared with their concentration in the lake water was in the range of 3.4 × 10²−2.6 × 10³ for Hg; 7.0 × 10²−6.8 × 10³ for Cd; 3.3 × 10²−9.7 × 10³ for Cu; 6.9 × 10²−8.1 × 10³ for Zn; 1.5 × 10³−2.4 × 10⁴ for Pb; 3.5 × 10²−3.1 × 10⁴ for Fe; and 5.0 × 10¹−3.5 × 10⁵ for Mn.     

Heavy metals in organisms from the Northern Tyrrhenian sea

The concentrations of zinc, manganese, copper, cadmium, lead and mercury have been determined in soft tissues of four marine organisms (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk., Nephrops norvegicus L., Mullus barbatus L., Engraulis encrasicolus L.) collected seasonally from the winter of 1976 to the spring of 1980 in various areas of the Tyrrhenian Sea (western Mediterranean). In all four species levels of all metals, except mercury in all areas are alike while mercury levels vary and, furthermore, are higher than in specimens from other areas of the Mediterranean and also from other seas. The possible natural origin of the mercury from cinnabar (HgS) ore as well as the suitability of the four species as bioindicators is discussed.     

Heavy metals in maternal and cord blood

Heavy metal concentrations have been determined in maternal and cord blood samples collected from mothers in the age group 20-25 years with full-term neonates (37-40 weeks). The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn were found to be low in cord blood as compared to mother's blood and the ratio between cord blood and maternal blood for the respective elements was found to be approximately 0.80, 0.86, 0.47 and 0.40. On the other hand, the concentrations of Fe and Mg in the mother's blood were found to be lower than those in the cord blood. Prenatal exposure to lead in Mumbai, though low (5.1 microg/dl), is approximately 2-3 times higher than that observed in Canada or Italy. A strong correlation (r = 0.79) between the maternal and cord blood lead levels has been observed during the present study.     

Generation and dynamics of aerosols over water surface

The mechanisms of generation of aerosols at water surface and their dependences on the local state of the atmosphere and water bodies, and also on the transport processes in the atmosphere have been studied. The possible disperse and chemical compositions of aerosols and their main determining factors and also the role of aerosols in the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere including the climate changes were analyzed.     

Trends of heavy metal components in the Arctic aerosols and their relationship to the emissions in the Northern Hemisphere

Twenty-one years of observations (1980-2000) of weekly mean concentrations of major anthropogenic and natural metals in the aerosol of the lower Arctic troposphere at Alert have been analyzed by time series analysis for seasonal and long-term trends and by positive matrix factorization for major aerosol components with which metals are associated. Metals at Alert exhibit distinct seasonal variations depending on the source and origin of the metals. Anthropogenic metals such as Pb, Zn and Cu and the sea-salt components Na and Mg exhibit maxima in winter and minima in summer. Similar variations were observed for non-soil fractions of V and Mn. Weak seasonal variations were found for soil-related metals such as Al, Ba, Ca and Fe. If any trend is evident in anthropogenic metals, it is a slight decrease from 1980 to mid-1990s but generally the variation is not monotonic. It is found through the winter observations of Pb, Zn, Ni and Cu concentrations that the decline trends have been leveled off and started to increase again around 1995. No long-term trends were detected in Na, Mg and Ca concentrations but a slight decrease is observed for soil components Al, Fe and Ti after 1995. Analysis showed that these trends are mostly associated with the anthropogenic emission variations surrounding the Arctic regions.     

Heavy metals in wild rice from northern Wisconsin

Wild rice grain samples from various parts of the world have been found to have elevated concentrations of heavy metals, raising concern for potential effects on human health. It was hypothesized that wild rice from north-central Wisconsin could potentially have elevated concentrations of some heavy metals because of possible exposure to these elements from the atmosphere or from water and sediments. In addition, no studies of heavy metals in wild rice from Wisconsin had been performed, and a baseline study was needed for future comparisons. Wild rice plants were collected from four areas in Bayfield, Forest, Langlade, Oneida, Sawyer and Wood Counties in September, 1997 and 1998 and divided into four plant parts for elemental analyses: roots, stems, leaves and seeds. A total of 194 samples from 51 plants were analyzed across the localities, with an average of 49 samples per part depending on the element. Samples were cleaned of soil, wet digested, and analyzed by ICP for Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mg, Pb, Se and Zn. Roots contained the highest concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se. Copper was highest in both roots and seeds, while Zn was highest just in seeds. Magnesium was highest in leaves. Seed baseline ranges for the 10 elements were established using the 95% confidence intervals of the medians. Wild rice plants from northern Wisconsin had normal levels of the nutritional elements Cu, Mg and Zn in the seeds. Silver, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Se were very low in concentration or within normal limits for food plants. Arsenic and Pb, however, were elevated and could pose a problem for human health. The pathway for As, Hg and Pb to the plants could be atmospheric.     

Combining data sets of organochlorines (OCs) in human plasma for the Russian Arctic

As part of AMAP's human circumpolar study of POPs, an international effort was initiated to extend coverage to communities across the Russian Arctic. Two additional laboratories were invited to join the analytical component of this effort, resulting in four participating analytical centres. Although quality assurance measures were put in place, and the level of performance of the laboratories was generally acceptable, deficiencies in the analytical protocols used were recognized subsequent to the collection and analyses of the plasma specimens. The current paper describes the criteria employed to critically appraise the four data bases and guide their integration into a single data set. Summary statistics are presented for plasma concentrations of major PCBs, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, β-HCH, and HCB for communities/regions across the arctic/subarctic Russian continent, and for one community located in the Aral Sea area of Uzbekistan (a control group). Highly exposed people were identified in the coastal communities of Chukotka, which appears mainly related to marine mammal intake, but recent pesticide use is also suspected. Other communities with intermediate levels of PCBs had relatively elevated β-HCH, p,p′-DDT and HCB concentrations and low DDE/DDT ratios (<10), suggesting recent pesticide use.     

Trends in aerosol optical depth in the Russian Arctic and their links with synoptic climatology

Temporal and spatial variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD) are examined using observations of direct solar radiation in the Eurasian Arctic for 1940-1990. AOD is estimated using empirical methods for 14 stations located between 66.2 degrees N and 80.6 degrees N, from the Kara Sea to the Chukchi Sea. While AOD exhibits a well-known springtime maximum and summertime minimum at all stations, atmospheric turbidity is higher in spring in the western (Kara-Laptev) part of the Eurasian Arctic. Between June and August, the eastern (East Siberian-Chukchi) sector experiences higher transparency than the western part. A statistically significant positive trend in AOD was observed in the Kara-Laptev sector between the late 1950s and the early 1980s predominantly in spring when pollution-derived aerosol dominates the Arctic atmosphere but not in the eastern sector. Although all stations are remote, those with positive trends are located closer to the anthropogenic sources of air pollution. By contrast, a widespread decline in AOD was observed between 1982 and 1990 in the eastern Arctic in spring but was limited to two sites in the western Arctic. These results suggest that the post-1982 decline in anthropogenic emissions in Europe and the former Soviet Union has had a limited effect on aerosol load in the Arctic. The post-1982 negative trends in AOD in summer, when marine aerosol is present in the atmosphere, were more common in the west. The relationships between AOD and atmospheric circulation are examined using a synoptic climatology approach. In spring, AOD depends primarily on the strength and direction of air flow. Thus strong westerly and northerly flows result in low AOD values in the East Siberian-Chukchi sector. By contrast, strong southerly flow associated with the passage of depressions results in high AOD in the Kara-Laptev sector and trajectory analysis points to the contribution of industrial regions of the sub-Arctic. In summer, low pressure gradient or anticyclonic conditions result in high atmospheric turbidity. The frequency of this weather type has declined significantly since the early 1980s in the Kara-Laptev sector, which partly explains the decline in summer AOD values.     

Heavy metals in human bones in different historical epochs

The concentration of the metals lead, copper, zinc, cadmium and iron was determined in bone remains belonging to 30 individuals buried in the Region of Cartagena dating from different historical periods and in eight persons who had died in recent times. The metals content with respect to lead, cadmium and copper was determined either by anodic stripping voltammetry or by atomic absorption spectroscopy on the basis of the concentrations present in the bone remains. In all cases, zinc and iron were quantified by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy. The lead concentrations found in the bone remains in our city are greater than those reported in the literature for other locations. This led to the consideration of the sources of these metals in our area, both the contribution from atmospheric aerosols as well as that from the soil in the area. Correlation analysis leads us to consider the presence of the studied metals in the analysed bone samples to be the consequence of analogous inputs, namely the inhalation of atmospheric aerosols and diverse contributions in the diet. The lowest values found in the studied bone remains correspond to the Neolithic period, with similar contents to present-day samples with respect to lead, copper, cadmium and iron. As regards the evolution over time of the concentrations of the metals under study, a clear increase in these is observed between the Neolithic period and the grouping made up of the Bronze Age, Roman domination and the Byzantine period. The trend lines used to classify the samples into 7 periods show that the maximum values of lead correspond to the Roman and Byzantine periods. For copper, this peak is found in the Byzantine Period and for iron, in the Islamic Period. Zinc shows an increasing tendency over the periods under study and cadmium is the only metal whose trend lines shows a decreasing slope.     

Heavy metals in zooplankton and decapod crustaceans from the Barents Sea

Trace metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) were analysed in zooplankton samples and decapod crustaceans collected on cruises of "RV Walther Herwig III" to the Barents Sea (Summer 1991, 1994 and 2000). We found a substantial spatial heterogeneity in the decapod crustacean Pandalus borealis, with increasing Cd concentrations from the south (North Cape Bank; 0.7 mg kg(-1) DW) to the north (north of Svalbard; 4.7 mg kg(-1)), supporting the hypothesis that the frequently reported Cd-anomaly in polar crustaceans might be extended to the Barents Sea. Regarding various crustaceans and zooplankton collectives (2000) a distinct interspecific heterogeneity of metals was obvious, with lowest Cd concentrations in euphausiids and chaetognaths and highest ones in decapods and hyperiid amphipods; lowest Cu concentrations in chaetognaths and copepods and highest ones in euphausiids and decapods; and lowest Zn concentrations in euphausiids and decapods and highest ones in some copepods. For Pb many values were below or close to the limit of detection, suggesting that Pb concentrations about 0.4 mg kg(-1) might serve as a regional background value. Results for Cd, Cu and Zn in copepods of this study are largely within the reported range, but high Cd concentrations in copepods from summer in contrast to reported lower ones during winter/spring may be related either to changing accumulation strategies of the copepod species involved or to seasonally changing Cd absorption in copepods from food.     

Heavy metals of inshore benthic invertebrates from the Barents Sea

To assess metals in biota of the Barents Sea, information is presented on concentrations of Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn in the marine inshore benthic invertebrates Gammarus oceanicus, Littorina rudis, Nucella lapillus, Mytilus edulis and Arenicola marina collected in summer 1994. For geographical comparisons, the metal content to body size relationship was taken into account due to the different body sizes found at the localities investigated. In general, our data provide further evidence for the cadmium anomaly in invertebrates from polar waters which has been frequently discussed in the literature, with Cd concentrations reaching 1 mg x kg(-1) dry wt in G. oceanicus, 7 mg x kg(-1) in L. rudis and 24 mg x kg(-1) in N. lapillus. In contrast, our results obtained for Cd in M. edulis and A. marina are largely within a world-wide reported range (1-2 and 0.2-0.9 mg x kg(-1), respectively). Although some severe Ni emissions in the Kola region (Russia) mainly from nickel smelters have been reported, we do not find indications of an enhanced Ni availability in the marine biota studied compared to other areas     

Heavy metals in the surficial sediments of Fontana Lake, North Carolina

Concern about the possible contamination by heavy metals of Fontana Lake (reservoir) and potential sources of such materials led to a study of surficial sediments. Samples of sediment were collected in the main body of the lake and near the mouths of its major tributaries and analayzed for magnesium, iron, aluminum, manganese, zinc, copper and mercury. Although the drainage area of the reservoir is primarily forested and rural without major industrial developments, the results indicated that manganese, copper and zinc were present in concentrations similar to areas receiving industrial pollution. Chemical analyses of pyritic materials in the watershed (e.g. schists or Anakeesta formation) showed relatively high concentrations of many of the same metals present in Fontana sediments. It appears, therefore, that the metals in the lake sediments represent materials derived from geological sources, although airborne contributions of certain metals cannot be ruled out.     

Heavy metals in acid streams from lignite mining areas

The drainage water from three abandoned lignite mining fields (Haunstrup, Søby, and Skraastrup) in central Jutland, Denmark is extremely acid (pH, 2.4–4.4), and the concentrations of heavy metals are markedly elevated compared with background levels and with concentrations in two regenerated lignite pits (Karstoft, Nt. Vium). Iron occurs with the highest concentrations in the drainage water and the concentrations of the other elements are in the order Mn > Zn>> Ni > Pb > Cu > V > Cr and > Cd. Concentrations of all analysed elements decline downstream from the mining areas. Iron shows the steepest gradient, due to flocculation within a short distance from the mining areas. Except for Fe, simple dilution with unpolluted water is sufficient to account for the downstream gradients.The mining areas in the river Skjern system have only a local effect on concentrations of heavy metals. In the river Vorgod, concentrations increased by the following factors: Mn, 7; Fe, 6; Zn, 4; Ni, 2; and Cr, 1.5 after confluence with drainage water from Haunstrup, and in the river Rind Mn, 3; Zn, 2; and Ni, 1.2 increased after the outlet from Søby. The export of heavy metals from the lignite mining areas compared with the transport in the river Skjern is about 31% for Fe, 24% for Zn, 18% for Mn, 13% for Ni, and below 10% for the other elements. Treatment of the drainage water from Haunstrup with lime has halved the export of Fe and increased the pH from about 3.0 to 4.0, whereas the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn have remained almost unchanged.The diversity of submerged macrophytes is very low in the acidic water near the mining areas. High acidity, high levels of heavy metals and low alkalinity are associated, and all may play a role in suppressing the macrophyte flora.