Metals in precipitation and lake waters in the North-West of Russia

Abstract

Standard monitoring data on the concentration of metals in precipitation and lake water in 2000s have been analyzed. All monthly average concentrations of Pb in Cd in precipitation were lower than the corresponding maximum allowable concentrations (MACs), whereas the concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Fe in lake surface waters were similar to or exceeded MACs for fishery reservoirs. The peak concentration of Pb in precipitation in June indicated increased dust content of air in late spring and early summer due to soil exposure and plowing. Increased concentration of Zn in the Kubenskoe Lake surface water in spring is likely to result from the peak discharge of anthropogenic pollutants on melting of snow and ice.