Monitoring of Soil Contamination by Heavy Metals in the Impact Zone of Copper-Nickel Smelter on the Kola Peninsula

The results of landscape monitoring of the concentrations of acid-extractable Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn in soils of the local impact zone of the Severonikel industrial complex on the Kola Peninsula are discussed. The aim of monitoring studies was to reveal the spatial and temporal regularities of variation in the degree of soil contamination by heavy metals. In 2001–2011, the concentrations of acid-extractable compounds of the elements in the upper part of organic soil horizons around this plant exceeded their background concentrations by two orders of magnitude for Cu and Co and by three orders of magnitude for Ni. The degree of topsoil contamination with Ni, Cu, and Co generally corresponded to the distance of the plots from the contamination source and to the modern technogenic load. However, because of the long period of the emissions, their extreme amounts, and complex composition, indirect factors—the degree of technogenic soil degradation, the loss of soil organic matter, saturation of the surface soil layers by the contaminating metals, and competitive relationships between the elements—also affect soil contamination level. The concentrations of all the studied metals in the topsoil are characterized by considerable (1.5 to 7 times) variability in their long-term dynamics. The most important factors of this variability for Ni, Cu, and Co are the organic matter content of the samples and the amount of atmospheric precipitation in the year preceding the sampling. An inverse relationship between element concentrations in the soils and the amount of atmospheric precipitation attests to the dynamic nature and reversible character of the accumulation of heavy metals in the soils.     

Primary pedogenesis in the tailings of apatite-nepheline ores on the Kola Peninsula

Primary signs of pedogenesis and soil profile formation on nepheline sands were revealed: the formation of a shallow litter layer, the accumulation of humus substances and oxalate-soluble Si and Al in the mineral horizon below the litter, and the acidification of the upper sand layer.     

Hydromorphism and Al-Fe-humus pedogenesis on sandy parent materials in the Kola Peninsula

Al-Fe-humus podzols developed from sandy materials of continental and marine origins can be arranged into the following sequence with respect to the degree of soil hydromorphism: iron-illuvial podzols—humus-illuvial podzols—dark (high-humus) humus-illuvial podzols—peat podzols. These soils do not differ much in their particle-size distribution and bulk elemental composition. The most informative indices reflecting the effect of soil hydromorphism are the contents of oxalate-extractable iron and aluminum compounds and the contents and composition of the soil organic matter.     

Zonal features of Al-Fe-humus pedogenesis on moraine deposits in the Kola Peninsula

Zonal differences in the genetic features of Al-Fe-humus podzols developed from moraine deposits in the tundra, forest-tundra, and northern taiga zones are revealed. The coefficient of profile differentiation of podzols with respect to the bulk content of aluminum increases from the tundra (1.16) to northern taiga (1.33); the analogous coefficient calculated with respect to the bulk content of iron increases in the same direction from 1.63 to 3.73. The zonal differences related to the contents of the amorphous forms of aluminum and iron are more contrasting: the coefficients of the profile differentiation increase from 4–6 in the tundra to 20–39 in the taiga. Differences in the humus contents of podzols developed in different natural zones are mainly seen in the podzolic horizon.     

Soils on overburden dumps in the forest-steppe and mountain taiga zones of the Kuzbass

The properties of the soils forming on coal dumps significantly depend on the properties of the parent rocks and the technology of creating the dumps. In the forest-steppe and mountain taiga zones of the Kuznetsk Coal Basin, argillites, siltstones, and sandstones are the overburden and enclosing rocks. They are responsible for the alkaline reaction and the same microelement composition in almost all the soils studied. The nonselective formation of the dumps and the predominance of the coarse fraction in the rocks composing the dumps is a cause of the wide distribution of petrozems and humus petrozems on their surface. The presence of a great amount of coal particles in the substrates and the incorrect planning of the dumps may be the reasons for their self-ignition, which can change the composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the soils of the dumps.     

Psychrotolerant actinomycetes in soils of the tundra and northern taiga

Actinomycetes adapted to low-temperature conditions are present in the cold soils of the tundra and northern taiga in quantities comparable to mesophylic forms and dominate in the soil actinomycete complex. Actinomycetes isolated from cold soils were identified as Streptomyces. Most actinomycetes relate to psychrotolerant forms according to habitation temperature. Two of them are conditionally psychrophilic. Specific properties of the investigated populations were identified by multirespirometrical testing.     

Effects of acid deposition on acidity and exchangeable cations in podzols of the Kola Peninsula

Response of soil and soil water of podzols in the Kola Peninsula to acid deposition was estimated under both field and laboratory conditions. A significant increasing trend of exchangeable acidity in organic (O) horizons and exchangeable Al in podzolic (E) horizons of podzols with distance from the nickel smelter was observed. The simulated rain at pH 4.5 did not alter chemical properties of soils and soil solutions. As much as 95–99% of the applied H⁺ ions were retained by soils and appeared in the percolates after a treatment period that depended on acid load and soil thickness. Ca and Mg in soil solutions were highly sensitive to acid loading. Simulated acid rain enhanced the leaching of exchangeable base cations out of root zone. Acid inputs resulted in decreased pH, amount of exchangeable base cations and base saturation, in elevated exchangeable acidity and it's Al fraction in soil solid phase. The most significant changes occurred in O and E horizons. Substantial amounts of both Ca and Mg can be lost from the root zone of podzols in the north-western Kola, subjected to acid deposition, thus leading to forest productivity damage.     

Resistance of Organic Horizon to Acidification from Snowmelt in Podzolic Soil of the Kola Peninsula (6 pp)

Background  

The Kola Peninsula (the most northern region of the European fringe of Russia) is covered with podzolic soil and is considered the most sensitive area to acidification in Europe because of the low input rate of base cations by weathering. About 300 thousand tons of SO2 are annually emitted from stationary sources in this region. Acidic precipitation accumulates in the snow during winter, and acidic water suddenly flushes into the soil during spring snowmelt (so-called acid shock). It is therefore important to assess how the acid-sensitive podzol responds to an intensive increase in acid load. The main purpose of this paper is to show the observed data rather than to provide an analytical interpretation of the observed phenomenon.     

Zonal features of humus formation in Al-Fe-humus podzols of the Kola Peninsula

Natural zonality manifests itself clearly in the territory of the Kola Peninsula: subzones of southern tundra, forest-tundra (sparse birch forest), and northern taiga replace one other from the north, to the Barents Sea coast, and to the south. Sandy and sandy loamy sediments of glacial, marine, and glaciofluvial origin are parent rocks all over the territory. Al-Fe-humus podzols, the profile of which is characterized by clear differentiation of the chemical composition and organic matter content, were formed on these rocks. There is almost no difference in the particle-size and total chemical composition of the podzols, whereas the content and composition of the humus in the soils of different zones differ significantly, and this is especially obvious in the illuvial horizon. As the climatic severity increases, the humus content in the mineral profile and the organic matter enrichment with nitrogen increase.     

Critical loads of acid deposition for forest ecosystems in the Kola Peninsula

We assessed critical loads of acid deposition and their exceedance for soils in the Kola Peninsula using a simple balance method and mapped them within 1.0° × 0.5° longitude/latitude grid cells. Critical loads of acidity vary from 200 to 800 mol_c/ha/y with the type of soil, parent rock, vegetation and climatic conditions. The critical deposition values are dominated by S contribution. Present sulphur depositions are higher than critical values in the large part of the Kola Peninsula (about 40% of total area). The greatest excess (800–1200 mol_c/ha/y) occur in north-western and western parts, especially in surroundings of nickel smelter in Nickel. Terrestrial ecosystems in the north-western Kola Peninsula are particularly susceptible to acid deposition damage due to relatively high soil sensitivity and heavy sulphur deposition.     

Genetic features of soils on sorted sand deposits of different origins in the Kola Peninsula

Differences in the chemical composition of soils developed from sorted sands of different origins are revealed. The iron-illuvial podzols on rich glaciofluvial and marine sands are characterized by well-pronounced Al-Fe-humus differentiation of the Si, Al, and Fe in the soil profile. These soils are relatively similar in their bulk elemental composition. The difference between them is seen in the degree of differentiation of the soil profiles; it is stronger in the soils developed from glaciofluvial deposits. This is particularly true with respect to the oxalate-soluble iron and aluminum hydroxides. The deposits derived from the red-colored Tersk sandstone and processed by the sea (in the coastal zone of the White Sea) have the poorest chemical composition. In the soils developed from them, the differentiation of oxalate-soluble compounds is slightly pronounced (for Fe) or completely absent (for Si and Al). These soils can be classified as podzolized ferruginous red-colored psammozems (within the order of poorly developed soils) with the following horizons: O-Ce-Cf-C. The Ce horizon has the features of podzolization, and the Cf horizon has some features attesting to the illuvial accumulation of Fe. The profile of these soils inherits a reddish tint from the parent material.     

Water-soluble low-molecular-weight organic acids in automorphic loamy soils of the tundra and taiga zones

The formation features of water-soluble low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) in a zonal series of automorphic soils on loose silicate rocks from the middle taiga to the southern tundra (typical podzolic, gley-podzolic, and surface-gley tundra soils) were first revealed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and gas-liquid chromatography. The content of LMWOAs varies within the range of 1–14 mg/dm³, which corresponds to 1–5% of the total carbon of the water-soluble soil organic matter. It has been shown that a subzonal feature of gley-podzolic soils in the northern taiga is the high content of LMWOAs, including primarily the strongest aliphatic hydroxyl acids. Possible mechanisms of their formation and accumulation in soils have been considered.     

Eco-Geochemical Assessment of the Content of Pollutants in Hummocky Bogs of the Kola Peninsula

Eurasian Soil Science - The results of eco-geochemical survey of hummocky bogs of the Kola Peninsula at the southern border of their area showed that the climate changes in the recent 60–80...     

Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in northern and middle taiga soils

An integrated study of the qualitative and quantitative composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmospheric precipitation-soil-lysimetric water system was performed using high performance liquid chromatography. It was shown that the accumulation of low-molecular PAHs (phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene) in soils is due to the transformation of organic matter and the regional transport and deposition of PAHs with atmospheric precipitation on the underlying surface. High-molecular polyarenes (benz[b]fluoranthene, benz[k]fluoranthene, benz[a]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, benzo[ghi]perylene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene) mainly result from the decomposition of soil organic matter.     

Changes in the Spruce Forest Communities Along a Heavy Metal Deposition Gradient on Kola Peninsula

We investigated changes in the community structure of spruce (Picea obovata and P. fennica) forests in the Northern Taiga Region of Russia along a point-source atmospheric deposition gradient of heavy metals on the Kola Peninsula. Study sites were selected in ecologically analogous forest stands at increasing distances from the nickel smelter in Monchegorsk. The heavy metal load at each site was estimated by quantifying metal concentrations in the snow cower. Concentrations of heavy metals in soil, litter and vegetation increased along the gradient of increasing atmospheric deposition. All measured indexes of forest vitality, including species richness and abundance, vertical distribution, and understory structure were adversely affected by pollution.     

Correlations between different acidity forms in amorphous loamy soils of the tundra and taiga zones

Pair correlation coefficients (r) between the acidity parameters for the main genetic horizons of soddy-podzolic soils (SPSs), typical podzolic soils (TPSs), gley-podzolic soils (GPSs), and tundra surfacegley soils (TSGSs) have been calculated on the basis of a previously developed database. A significant direct linear correlation has been revealed between the pH_water and pH_KCl values in the organic and eluvial horizons of each soil, but the degree of correlation decreased when going from the less acidic SPSs to the more acidic soils of other taxons. This could be related to the fact that, under strongly acid conditions, extra Al³⁺ was dissolved in the KCl solutions from complex compounds in the organic horizons and from Al hydroxide interlayers in the soil chlorites. No significant linear correlation has been found between the exchangeable acidity (H _exch) and the activity of the [H]⁺ ions in the KCl extract (a(H⁺)_KCl) calculated per unit of mass in the organic horizons of the SPSs, but it has been revealed in the organic horizons of the other soils because of the presence of the strongest organic acids in their KCl extracts. The high r values between the H _exch and a(H⁺)_KCl in all the soils of the taiga zones have been related to the common source and composition of the acidic components. The correlation between the exchangeable and total (H _tot) acidities in the organic horizons of the podzolic soils has been characterized by high r values because of the common source of the acidity: H⁺ and probably Al³⁺ ions located on the functional groups of organic acids. High r values between the H _exch and a(H⁺)_KCl have been observed in the mineral horizons of all the soils, because the Al³⁺ hydroxo complexes occurring on the surface and in the interlayer spaces of the clay minerals were sources of both acidity forms.     

Artificial and natural radionuclides in soils of the southern and middle taiga zones of Komi Republic

Specific activities of artificial (¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr) and natural (⁴⁰К, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra) radionuclides in background soils of southern and middle taiga of Komi Republic have been estimated with consideration for the landscape-geochemical features of the territory. It has been shown that their accumulation and migration in soils are determined by the following factors: position in relief, texture, and organic matter content. No anomalous zones with increased contents of radionuclides in soils have been revealed.     

Sulphur and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Scots Pine Bark in Northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula

Sulphur and heavy metal deposition in northern Finland (= in Lapland) and the Kola Peninsula were surveyed using Scots pine bark samples. Sulphur concentrations in bark close to the Kola smelters were on an average twice as high as on the Finnish side of the border. The Cu and Ni concentrations near the smelters were almost 100-fold the mean values in northern Finland. There was a marked decrease in the sulphur and heavy metal concentrations with increasing distance from the emission sources. The effects of emission from the Kola Peninsula were evident in Finland only close to the border, especially in the eastern parts of Inari (NE corner of Lapland) where the Cu and Ni concentrations were 2- to 6-fold those in western Lapland. The sulphur and heavy metal concentrations in most of northern Finland were low. However were the concentrations of Cr in bark in the SW corner of Lapland considerably high, due to the emissions from the Tornio refined steel plants.     

Variation in the acid-base parameters of automorphic loamy soils in the taiga and tundra zones of the Komi Republic

A database for the main genetic horizons of loamy automorphic soddy-podzolic, typical podzolic, gley-podzolic, and surface-gley tundra soils of the Komi Republic was developed on the basis of the available archive and literature data and unpublished results of the authors. The database included the following parameters: the pH_water and pH_KCl, the exchangeable and total acidity, and the degree of SEC saturation. All the parameters were characterized by normal distribution types. The variation coefficients V for the pH_water and pH_KCl were <10%. For the exchangeable and total acidities and the degree of SEC saturation, the V values varied among the soils and horizons in the range of 10–50%. The greatest differences in the acid-base properties of all the soils were revealed between the groups of organic horizons, the eluvial horizons, and the B horizon by the cluster analysis. Between the separate subtypes of podzolic soils, the maximum differences were observed in the organic and, to a lesser extent, eluvial horizons; the B horizons of the different soils in the taiga and tundra zones did not significantly differ in these terms. For the entire profiles, the highest similarity was found between the typical podzolic and gley-podzolic soils, which were more similar to the automorphic soils of the tundra zone than to soddy-podzolic soils.     

Effect of industrial emissions on membrane permeability of epiphytic lichens in Northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula industrial areas

The impact of air pollution on membrane permeability of the epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes and Bryoria fuscescens was studied in northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula to assess the effects of the Kola industrial emissions. The conductivity and quantity of K⁺ in leachates of the lichens were determined both as absolute and relative leakage. The K⁺ leakage from the lichens was the most sensitive indicator of membrane disturbance. Positive relationships between K⁺ leakage and decreasing distance from pollution sources and modelled atmospheric SO₂ concentrations were found and the K⁺ leakage and Cu and Ni concentrations of Scots pine bark were also highly correlated. The relative conductivity of leachates was inversely related to distance from sources, while the absolute conductivity of leachates from lichens was positively correlated with bark S. The ion leakage was higher in fruticose Bryoria fuscescens than in foliose Hypogymnia physodes, but the overall response to pollution was similar in both species. The methods used were able to identify areas of disturbed membrane function around the Kola industrial areas and local point sources in northern Finland. However, the majority of the studied sites in Finnish Lapland can be regarded as undisturbed background areas with respect to these sensitive lichens.