Assessment of the Environmental Status and Degree of Pollution of Arctic Soils by Heavy Metals

We report the results of studying the Arctic soils. In the course of a complex research expedition of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University within the “Arctic Floating University” project, we have selected soil samples, described the landscape (relief, vegetation), and found the systematic position of soils at the type/subtype level. The main agrochemical parameters of the soil and the content of heavy metals (HM) have been determined. According to the accepted approaches, the soil pollution by heavy metals has been evaluated. Analysis of the experimental data has confirmed the change in agrochemical soil parameters over a wide range and the presence of polymetallic pollution. The main pollutants include such heavy metals as Zn, Cu, Ni, and As. According to the total pollution index, all the soils are characterized by an acceptable heavy-metal-contamination level.