HAZARDOUS POLLUTANTS IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF WRANGEL ISLAND

Pogojeva, M. P., Chekmeneva, N. A., Dolgova, A. O., Chernogorov, O. E., Kulemeev, P. S., Gruzdev, A. R., Korablev, A. M.

1) Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russian Federation)
2) N. N. Zubov State Oceanographic Institute (Moscow, Russian Federation)
3) Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russian Federation)
4) Providenskiy Inspection Site of the Center for State Inspection of Small Vessels of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Chukotka Autonomous Area
(Provideniya urban-type settlement, Chukotka Autonomous Area, Russian Federation)
5) State Natural Reserve “Wrangel Island” (Chukotka Autonomous Area, Russian Federation)
6) National Park “Gydansky” (Tazovsky settlement, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, Russian Federation)
7) Main Command of the Russian Federation Navy (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation)

The article was received on Marth 11, 2025

Bibliographic description: Pogojeva M. P., Chekmeneva N. A., Dolgova A. O., Chernogorov O. E., Kulemeev P. S., Gruzdev A. R., Korablev A. M. Hazardous pollutants in the natural environment of Wrangel Island. Arctic: Ecology and Economy, 2026, vol. 16, no. 1.

Abstract:  The research is focused on the study of the content of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals (HM) on Wrangel Island within the framework of the UMKA-2022 expedition. The purpose of the study is to assess the pollution level of abiotic and biotic components of the natural environment, which is important for understanding the environmental situation in the Arctic. Samples of soil, seawater and biota have been analyzed for the presence of POPs and HM using modern analytical methods. The results showed the presence of 69 pollutants of hazard classes 1-3 in all samples, with the highest concentrations in the central part of the island and off the coast of the Chukchi Sea. In the soil, exceedances of maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) have been recorded for chromium, manganese, nickel, cobalt, lead and cadmium. Exceedances of cadmium, lead and nickel have been also detected in surface water. Analysis of pollution data on the island has confirmed a significant level of anthropogenic load and degradation of ecosystems, especially in the areas of Rogers Bay, Somnitelnaya Bay and Cape Hawaii.

Keywords: environmental pollution, pollutants, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, environmental monitoring, Wrangel Island, Arctic zone

Funding:  The work was carried out within the framework of the state task of the Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences FMWE-2024-0021 “Structural and functional organization, biological productivity and mechanisms of modern climatic and anthropogenic variability of marine and oceanic ecosystems; ecosystems of the Arctic basin and seas of Russia in modern conditions, bioresource potential of oceanic and marine ecosystems” and with support of the state research program of the Laboratory of Geoecology of the North, Geography faculty, Moscow State University.

Acknowledgements: The authors express their gratitude to the command of the Russian Navy, the Russian Geographical Society, and the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve for their assistance in conducting these studies. The authors express special gratitude to the Laboratory of Chemical and Analytical Control of the Federal State Budgetary institution “27 Scientific Center” of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for conducting chemical analysis of samples.

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