GIS Analysis of Surface Water Chemistry Susceptibility and Response to Industrial Air Pollution in the Kola Peninsula, Northern Russia

Abstract

The Kola Peninsula (Figure 1) is the most industrially developed and urbanized region in the Russian North. The main pollution sources are the large smelters Severonickel and Pechenganickel, which are responsible for > 80% of SO₂ emission and nearly 100% of the Ni and Cu emission in the region. The heterogeneous structure of the hydrologic network and geochemistry across the region cause natural variability in water chemistry. Due to moist and cool climate, large territories on the Kola are sensitive to acid precipitation, but around the smelters, geological peculiarities, erosion and alkaline dust emissions increase buffering capacity of waters to acidification. Lake and river monitoring implemented from 1989–1993 by the laboratory of water ecosystems, Institute of Northern Ecology Problems was a basis for GIS-analysis (ARCNIEW-2.1) of the major constituents of water chemistry attributed to anthropogenic load in the region. After correction for sea salt, acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) of waters was calculated. The highest concentrations of anthropogenic non-sea sulfates were confined to the districts with high cation concentrations (Na⁺ + K⁺ + Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) that reduced negative effects. The most vulnerable regions were found in the northern tundra and high mountain tundra.