IMPACT OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS (HEAVY PRECIPITATION) ON CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN ARCTIC LAKES

The present studies concerns response of high arctic lakes on extreme weather conditions and changes in their water chemistry due to addition load of organic pollutants present in the precipitation. Water samples of closed-drainage water bodies and precipitation were collected in NW part of Wedel Jarlsberg Land (SW part of the Svalbard Archipelago). Lakes were located at the forefields of Scott Glacier in the vicinity of the Research Station of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin- Calypsobyen. In this work the physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, total organic carbon) and concentrations of organic pollutants (sum of phenols, formaldehyde) in various genetic types of arctic lakes were examined (Figure 1). Samples from three water bodies were collected every 5-7 days from July 21 to August 15, 2013. While precipitation samples were collected from July 10 to August 20, 2013. Figure.1. Localization of the study area As a result of climate change every part of the Earth is exposed in a greater or lesser degree on extreme weather events, and the Arctic is no exception. On the forefields of glaciers, that responds the fastest and strongest to the climate changes, a numerous closed water bodies are located. Due to progressive warming and long range transport of atmospheric pollutants (LRTAP) from urbanized and industrialized Eurasia areas, polar lakes and ponds are becoming a sink for wide range of xenobiotics. Arctic lakes functioning in various environmental conditions determining the genetic type of the basins: ablation, kame and outwash plain, were examined on presence of pollutants. High Arctic lakes respond rapidly to slight changes in environmental conditions. Additionally extreme weather events may rapidly change their physicochemical parameters that may have an impact on organisms living in the lakes. The results of water samples from the area of Scott Glacier catchments indicate the presence, spatial and temporal distribution of pollutants being of interest. The conducted researches shows that physicochemical parameters and concentrations of pollutants are strongly influenced by precipitation and differs between each other due to the genetic type of the basins in which lakes are functioning. Concentration levels of TOC exceed the corresponding to oligotrophic lakes. Also a great changes in pH, conductivity and concentration of pollutants in closed-drainage water bodies, due to the extreme weather events, are observed. Although polar lakes are a sink of atmospheric pollutants from lower geographical altitudes, in the face of extreme weather events, they react variously, what is a result of the genetic type they represent. The study was conducted in the scope of the 25th Polar Expedition of the Marie Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin to Spitsbergen, implementing grant of the National Science Centre “Mechanisms of fluvial transport and delivery of sediment to the Arctic river channels with different hydrologic regime (SW Spitsbergen) No. 2011/01/B/ST10/06996”.