Markers of technogenic influence on the geochemistry of sediments of the pristine lake on the White Sea coast (Arctic)

Lake sediments are natural archives of past environmental changes. The most recent sediments are well suited for assessing the anthropogenic impact on lakes and the natural environment around them. The report presents data on the accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments of the small lake Terskoe, located in the south of the Murmansk region near the coast of the White Sea. Based on the analysis of the chemical composition of the sediment column of the water body, increased concentrations of Pb, Cd, Sb, Ni and Cu were established in the upper layers of the studied sediments compared to the lower layers and background of the region. Despite the remoteness of the lake from industrial enterprises and populated areas, the identified anomalies are associated with human activity. The key factor is the long-range atmospheric transport of pollutants entering the environment, in particular from emissions from plants.