Comparative Assessment of the Metal Load in the Bays and Inlets of Murmansk Coast by the Metal Pollution Index

摘要

Comparative assessment of pollution by metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, and As) was performed for the first time for the bays and inlets of the Murmansk coast of the Barents Sea; the international Metal Pollution Index (MPI) was applied for the fucoids. The background pollution was assessed for each studied element by MPI in the fucoids taking into account the seawater salinity. It was found that the MPI index calculated for fucoids might be recommended for the qualitative assessment of the metal pollution level with regard to the water salinity for both the studied sampling sites and the natural environment. The comparative monitoring of Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, and As concentrations in the bays and inlets of the Murmansk coast of the Barents Sea using MPI evidenced that Pechenga Inlet was the most polluted area; Korabel'naya Inlet was the least polluted, which reflected the existing level of the anthropogenic load.