Assimilation Capacity of Azov Sea Bottom Sediments with Respect to Copper and Zinc

M. V. Bufetova

Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State Geological Exploration University (MGRI), Moscow, Russia

e-mail: mbufetova@mail.ru

Abstract

The work aims to assess the assimilation capacity of bottom sediments of the Sea of Azov with respect to copper and zinc by the level of their elimination into the geological depot as a result of sedimentation. The paper analyses metal concentrations in water and bottom sediments in 1991–2023. In 1998–2023, the average values of copper in sea water exceeded MAC (5 µg/L) and ranged 5.2–12 µg/L. The average concentration of copper in the bottom sediments of the Sea of Azov in 1991–1999 was 29.8 µg/g, in 2000–2010 it was 35.5 µg/g and in 2011–2023 it was 9.3 µg/g. The copper flux from the water to the bottom sediments of the open part of the sea ranged 14–381 t/year, whereas in Taganrog Bay it was 16–153 t/year. Sediment turnover periods of copper in the open sea and in Taganrog Bay averaged 0.5 and 1.6 years, respectively. The assimilation capacity of bottom sediments for copper in the open sea was 135.6 t/year and for Taganrog Bay it was 75.7 t/year. The zinc concentration in water exceeded its maximum permissible concentration (50 µg/L) in different years (up to 79 µg/L in Kuban-Akhtarsky and Kuban-Temryuksky districts). In the bottom sediments, the zinc concentration during the entire observation period was in the range of 17.1–98 µg/g in the open sea and 19.0–111 µg/g in the bay. The flux of sedimentation self-purification of water from zinc in the open sea was in the range of 175–902 t/year and in Taganrog Bay it was 76–407 t/year. The zinc turnover period in the open part of the sea varied within 0.7–39.8 years and in the bay, it was 0.1–4.8 years. The assimilation capacity of the bottom sediments with respect to zinc was 313.6 t/year for the open part of the sea and 169.1 t/year for Taganrog Bay. Determination of assimilation capacity of bottom sediments allows normalizing planned inputs of copper and zinc into the water area of the Sea of Azov.

Keywords

Sea of Azov, copper, zinc, pollution, heavy metal flux, accumulation coefficient, self-purification, copper flux, zinc flux, assimilation capacity

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Azovmorinformtsentr, a branch of Zentrregionvodkhoz, for long-term cooperation and provided data.

For citation

Bufetova, M.V., 2025. Assimilation Capacity of Azov Sea Bottom Sediments with Respect to Copper and Zinc. Ecological Safety of Coastal and Shelf Zones of Sea, (1), pp. 124–136.

References

  1. Goldberg, G.A. and Zats, V.I., 1991. Modelling of Selfpurification Processes of the Shelf Zone Sea Water. Sevastopol: IBSS, 59 p. (in Russian).
  2. Egorov, V.N., 2019. Theory of Radiousotope and Chemical Homeostasis of Marine Ecosystems. Sevastopol: IBSS, 356 p. (in Russian).
  3. Egorov, V.N., Gulin, S.B., Malakhova, L.V., Mirzoeva, N.Y., Popovichev, V.N., Tereshchenko, N.N., Lazorenko, G.E., Plotitsina, O.V., Malakhova, T.V., Proskurnin, V.Y., Sidorov, I.G., Stetsyuk, A.P. and Gulina, L.V., 2018. Rating Water Quality in Sevastopol Bay by the Fluxes of Pollutant Deposition in Bottom Sediments. Water Resources, 45(2), pp. 222–230. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807818020069
  4. Bufetova, M.V. and Egorov, V.N., 2023. Lead Contamination of Water and Sediments of Taganrog Bay and the Open Part of the Sea of Azov in 1991–2020. Ecological Safety of Coastal and Shelf Zones of Sea, (2), pp. 105–119. doi:10.29039/2413-5577-2023-2-105-119
  5. Klenkin, A.A., Korpakova, I.G., Pavlenko, L.F. and Temerdashev, Z.A., 2007. [Ecosystem of the Sea of Azov: Anthropogenic Pollution]. Krasnodar: OOO “Prosveshcheniye-Yug”, 324 p. (in Russian).
  6. Korablina, I.V., Sevostyanova, M.V., Barabashin, T.O., Gevorgyan, J.V., Katalevsky, N.I. and Evseeva, A.I., 2018. Heavy Metals in the Ecosystem of the Azov Sea. Problems of Fisheries, 19(4), pp. 509–521. https://doi.org/10.36038/0234-2774-2018-19-4-509-521
  7. Goptarev, N.P., Simonov, A.I., Zatuchnaya, B.M. and Gershanovich, D.E., eds., 1991. [Hydrometeorology and Hydrochemistry of Seas of the USSR. Vol. 5. The Sea of Azov]. St. Petersburg: Gidrometeoizdat, 236 p. (in Russian).
  8. Putilina, V.S., Galitskaya, I.V. and Yuganova, T.I., 2013. Sorption When Groundwater Contaminating by Heavy Metals and Radioactive Elements. Copper. Novosibirsk: GPNTB SO RAN. Iss. 100, 95 p. (in Russian).
  9. Matishov, G.G., Stepan'yan, O.V., Har'kovskii, V.M., Startsev, A.V., Bulysheva, N.I., Semin, V.V., Soier, V.G., Kreneva, K.V., Glushchenko, G.Y. and Svistunova, L.D., 2016. Characteristic of Lower Don Aquatic Ecosystem in Late Autumn. Water Resources, 43(6), pp. 873–884. https://doi.org/10.1134/S009780781606004X
  10. Garkusha, D.N., Fedorov, Yu.A. and Predeina, L.M., 2022. Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Copper and Zinc Concentrations in the Lower Don Water. Russian Meteorology and Hydrology, 47(3), pp. 232–240. https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373922030098
  11. Khrustalev, Yu.P., 1999. The Fundamental Problems of the Sedimentogenesis Geochemistry in the Azov Sea. Apatity: Publishing house of the KSC RAS, 247 p. (in Russian).
  12. Bufetova, M.V., 2020. Analysis of Changes in the Coefficient of Bottom Accumulation of Heavy Metals from their Concentration in the Water of the Sea of Azov. Scientific Notes of V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Geography. Geology, 6(2), pp. 193–206 (in Russian).
  13. Davydova, O.A., Korovina, E.V., Vaganova, E.S., Guseva, I.T., Krasun, B.A., Isaeva, M.A., Martseva, T.Y., Mulyukova, V.V., Klimov, E.S. and Buzaeva, M.V., 2016. Physical-Chemistry Aspects of Migratory Processes of Heavy Metals in Natural Aqueous Systems. Bulletin of South Ural State University. Series Chemistry, 8(2), pp. 40–50. https://doi.org/10.14529/chem160205 (in Russian).
  14. Saeva, O.P., Yurkevich, N.V., Kabannik, V.G. and Kolmogorov, Y.P., 2013. Determining the Effectiveness of Natural Reactive Barriers for Acid Drainage Neutralization Using Sr-Xrf Method. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Physics, 77(2), pp. 214–216. https://doi.org/10.3103/S1062873813020305
  15. Martyanov, S.D., Ryabchenko, V.A. and Rybalko, A.E., 2011. Modelling of Sediment Resuspension in the Neva Bay. Proceedings of the Russian State Hydrometeorological University, 20, pp. 13–26 (in Russian).
  16. Gerasyuk, V.S. and Berdnikov, S.V., 2021. Experimental Estimation of the Deposition Rate of Water Suspended Particulate Matter in the Mouth of the Don River and in Taganrog Bay. Oceanology, 61(5), pp. 687–696. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437021040056
  17. Putilina, V.S., Galitskaya, I.V. and Yuganova, T.I., 2013. Sorption When Groundwater Contaminating by Heavy Metals and Radioactive Elements. Zinc. Novosibirsk: GPNTB SO RAN. Iss. 102, 99 p. (in Russian).
  18. Bufetova, M.V., 2024. Dynamics of multi-year variability of copper and zinc content in the Azov Sea water (1991–2023). In: IBSS, 2024. Study of Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems: History and Modernity: Book of Abstracts of the 3rd International Scientific and Practical Conference, 2–7 September, 2024, Sevastopol, Russian Federation. Sevastopol: IBSS, pp. 198–199 (in Russian).

Full text

English version (PDF)

Russian version (PDF)

We use Yandex Metrics. Read more.

Мы используем Яндекс Метрику. Подробнее.