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In the period from 2012 to 2021, total and mobile concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu) were determined in the bottom sediments of the coastal zones of the ports of Primorsk and Bronka—areas of potential environmental risk. For chemical monitoring of coastal waters exposed to anthropogenic pollution, it is recommended to take samples from a depth of at least 25 cm to obtain the values of calculated background concentrations of heavy metals. An assessment of the ecological state of bottom sediments was carried out. It has been established that the bottom sediments of the ports of Primorsk and Bronka fall withtin the zone of moderate pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn, and Fe concentrations in sediments, bottom waters, and benthic macroinvertebrates (Amphipoda, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Hirudinea, and Oligochaeta) collected at six coastal stations in the Eastern Gulf of Finland were determined with the aim to reveal the features of heavy metals bioaccumulation in the macrozoobenthos. It was shown that benthic macroinvertebrates accumulate Mn, Fe, and Zn more actively than Pb, Cu, and Cd, while Hirudinea and Oligochaeta worms have enhanced accumulative capacities as compared to amphipods and mollusks. A close relationship was found between the Zn and Pb concentrations in the sediments and amphipods, but for the other elements no reliable relationship was observed. It was recommended to use organisms of other trophic levels along with zoobenthos and data on heavy metal concentrations in sediments for chemical monitoring of coastal waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study has been conducted along the coastline of the eastern Gulf of Finland for three years. It had been shown that accumulation of algal biomass caused by the "green tide" events significantly influenced the metal distribution in the surface sediments. Metal concentrations differed significantly under algal mats and at the sites, which were free of algae. Our study showed significant changes in metal concentrations (Zn, Cd and Pb) along the coast in study years, which, in our opinion, reflect influence of the ports Vysotsk and a new one—Bronka. Principal component and classification analysis extracted two main factors, which can be interpreted as a factors related to the distance from a river mouth and to the input from the new anthropogenic sources. Taking into account a global climate change and the results of our study, we may conclude that in the future extended macroalgal blooms may provoke intense sediment contamination by organic matter and associated metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]