Heavy metals in surface lake sediments on the Kola Penninsula as an index of air quality

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:466133

Dauvalter, V ^[1]

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1. Institute of the North Industrial Ecology Problems, Murmansk (Russian Federation)

The investigations of heavy metal (Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, Pb, Cd, Hg) distribution in sediments of more than 100 lakes were carried out between 1989 and 1994. The study lakes are situated at different distances from two main heavy metal pollution sources of the Kola Peninsula-smelters of the Pechenganickel and Severonickel Companies. To assess the pollution extent of investigated lakes, values of factor and degree of contamination were calculated according to the method suggested by Hakanson (1980). Heavy metal contamination factor (C{sub f}) for each heavy metal was calculated as the quotient of concentration from the uppermost (0-1 cm) sediment to the mean preindustrial background value (concentrations from 20-30 cm sediment layers) for the investigated region. Degree of contamination (C{sub d}) was defined as the sum of all contamination factors for studied heavy metals. To quantitatively express the potential ecological risk of given contaminants created for ecosystems, risk factor (Er) for each heavy metal has been calculated. Er takes into account the toxicity of a heavy metal and bioproduction index (BPI) of a lake. Risk index (RI) was determined as the sum of all ecological risk factor for studied heavy metals.

• OSTI ID: 466133
• Report Number(s): CONF-9606185--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR QUALITY
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EVALUATION
LAKES
METALS
SEDIMENTS
USSR