Search

The White Sea is a natural analogue of arctic seas. The pollution of the sea by petroleum hydrocarbons is not high now. However, the load on sea ecosystem can increase in the nearest future because of the anticipated industrial development in its watershed, including an increase in oil, coal, and diamond production. The specific features of the nature of arctic marine systems (hydrological, ice, hydrobiological, hydrochemical, and radiation regimes), and the poor knowledge of the conditions of dispersion, transformation, and utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons in such seas make their ecological studies especially important. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the waters of tributaries and water areas of the White Sea (for 1980-2006 and 1989-2006, respectively) were evaluated using literary and authors' data. Analysis of the collected materials shows that the majority of petroleum hydrocarbons enter the sea's water areas with river runoff. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations were evaluated in major tributaries of the sea, including the rivers of Northern Dvina, Onega, Mezen, Niva, Kem, and Keret, delivering petroleum hydrocarbons into the bays of Dvina, Onega, Mezen, and Kandalaksha, water area near the Solovetskie Islands, and Chupa Bay, respectively (Bay - Gulf). Model calculations should yield within-year variations in petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in different part of the sea (under a correctly specified load) and the conditions of their biotransformation and horizontal transport through the boundaries between areas within the sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]