Arctic Russian

Soviet Union, 1984 Ringed seal, Phoca hispida-, Kara Sea, Russian Arctic 100 FW 83... 

Nakata, H., S. Tanabe, R. Tatsukawa, Y. Koyama, N, Miyazaki, S. Belikov, and A. Boltunov. 1998. Persistent organochlorine contaminants in ringed seals (Phoca hispida) from the Kara Sea, Russian Arctic. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 17 1745-1755. 

When compared to other cetaceans, PCB residues in blubber of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Black Sea showed a measurable sexual difference. PCB concentrations were lower in older female porpoises possibly due to lactational transfer to their calves, while in males the PCB concentrations were positively correlated with increasing age (Tanabe et al. 1997). In stellar sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), the transfer rate of PCBs through lactation was estimated at 80% of the total body PCB burden of adult females (Lee et al. 1996). PCB concentrations in liver of the stellar sea lion from the Bering Sea increased with increasing age and correlated positively with those of blubber (Lee et al. 1996). In ringed seals (Phoca hispida) from the Russian Arctic, lactational transfer of PCBs was estimated at 25% of whole-body burden in the mature female (Nakata et al. 1998), or about one third that of stellar sea lions. In grey seals (Halichoerus... 

Ringed seal, Phoca hispida Kera Sea Russian Arctic 1995 blubber Total PCBs Non-ortho congeners PCB 77 PCB 126 PCB 169... 

Galasso, J.L., Siegel, F.R. and Kravitz, J.H. (2000) Heavy metals in eight 1965 cores from the Novaya Zemlya Trough, Kara Sea, Russian Arctic. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40(10), 839-52. 

Compared with the open water of the Arctic Ocean, the shelf seas of the Russian Arctic are more heavily contaminated. 

The impact of all the sources of radioactivity in the zone of the Arctic coast on the local population has not been assessed reliably enough. It was particularly difficult to separate the natural and anthropogenic components of such an impact. Aibulatov (2000) discussed future research into Russian Arctic radioactive pollution, including... 

Development of a coordinated Russian Arctic Sea radioactivity ecological monitoring program. 

Another important project is the Russian-American Initiative on Shelf-Land Environments in the Arctic (RAISE) with the principal goal of facilitating ship-based research in the Russian Arctic (Cooper and Romanovsky, 2001). Earlier relevant land-based research projects under the RAISE umbrella included studies of... 

Aibulatov N.A. (2000). Cold War Echo in the Russian Arctic Seas. Geos, Moscow, 307 pp. [in Russian]. 

Gordeev Y.Y. Gulidov A.V. Holms P. and Peterson B. (2000). River outflow of nutrients to Russian Arctic Achievements and Problems. Proceedings of the Second Conference Ecology of Siberian River Basins and the Arctic (November 24-26, 2000, Tomsk), pp. 108-113 [in Russian]. 

Vetrov A.A. and Romankevich E.A. (2004). Carbon Cycle in the Russian Arctic Seas. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 332 pp. 

Telang, S.A., Puckington, R., Naidu, A.S., Romankevich, E.A., Gitelson, I.I., and Gladyshev, M.I. (1991) Carbon and mineral transport in major North American, Russian Arctic and Siberian Rivers, the St. Lawrence, the Mackenzie, the Arctic Alaskan rivers, the Arctic Basin rivers in the Soviet Union and the Yenisei. In Biogeochemistry of Major Rivers (Degens, E.T., Kempe, S., and Richey, J.E., eds.), pp. 77-104, John Wiley, New York. 

Vitebsky, Piers. 2002. Withdrawing from the Land Social and Spiritual Crisis in the Indigenous Russian Arctic. In Postsocialism Ideals, Ideologies and Practices in Eurasia, edited by C.M. Hann, 180-95. London Routledge. 

Shevchenko V, Lisitzin A, Vinogradova A and Stein R (2003) Heavy metals in aerosols over the seas of the Russian Arctic. Sci Total Environ 306 11-25. 

Zhulidov AV, Robarts RD, Headley JV, Liber K, Zhuhdov DA, Zhulidov OV (2002) Levels of DDT and hexachlorocyclohexane in burbot Lota lota L.) from Russian Arctic rivers. Sci Total Environ 292(3) 231-246... 

Impacts of particulate emissions from coal fly-ash pollution have been seen close to emission sources in and around the cities of Vorkuta and Inta where there are examples of environmental damage due to acidification, reduced air quality and eutrophication (Getsen et al. 1994 Virtanen et al. 2002 Walker et al. 2003b). However, it should be emphasised that vast areas of the Russian Arctic appear close to pristine condition (Rovinsky et al. 1995). 

Rovinsky F, Pastukhov B, Bouyvolov L, Burtseva L (1995) Present day state of background pollution of the natural environment in the Russian Arctic in the region of the Ust-Lena Reserve. Sci Total Environ 160/161 193-199... 

Solovieva N, Jones VJ, Appleby PG, Kondratenok BM (2002) Extent, environmental impact and long-term trends in atmospheric contamination in the Usa Basin of East-European Russian Arctic. Water Air Soil Poll 139 237-260... 

The Russian Arctic is rich in natural resources—oil, gas, non-ferrous metals, gems, various chemicals used for production of fertilizers, etc. Oil and gas deposits (in oil equivalent) constitute more than 200 billion tonnes, and oil deposits on the sea shelf alone constitutes around 100 billion tonnes. 80% of fish and fish products in the Russian Federation come ft om the Arctic. 

Until recently a common perception of the Arctic was as an almost virgin land, not yet impacted by technological activity. Meanwhile a long term attitude to the Arctic as the resourceful colony of the Soviet Union resulted in an accumulation of liquid and solid waste and a heavy contamination of the environment. Official statistics indicate that total accumulation of the waste in the Arctic region is close to 100 million tonnes. 600,000 km, which constitute around 10% of the whole Russian territory, are contaminated by chemicals. Total or partial degradation of ecosystems can be observed on the territory of 80 km (Arctic, p. 47]. Only Russian Arctic includes so called "impacted zones", where the environmental situation can be defined as acute or catastrophic (Fig. 1). The main polluters are Navies and militaries, mining industry, smelters and power plants. Transport and oil industry thus far have less impact on the Arctic enviromnent. 

Past dumping of nuclear waste into the Arctic seas and waters adjacent to the Arctic Ocean was partly revealed in a white paper released in 1993— the so called "Yablokov report" [Yablokovj. Since then a number of investigations have been conducted by the Russian, US, Norwegian, IAEA, and NATO research groups. Perhaps the most comprehensive evaluation of nuclear contamination of the Russian Arctic... 

It is important to elaborate appropriate measures for the prevention of the future radioactive releases. Urgent measures include solution of the problems of the Northern Nuclear Fleet. Construction of storage facilities for the spent fuel and solid radioactive waste, and a plant for utilization of liquid radioactive waste are the first priorities in the Russian Arctic. 

Unfortunately one can hardly expect that the Declaration can protect the Russian Arctic and secure rights of the Native people, as it has mostly recommendatory character. Attitudes toward the Arctic as a resource-rich colony, lack of environmental legislation and regulation with the introduction of market economy will create a destructive climate in relation to the Arctic, will lead to irreversible changes in the Arctic environment and will damage its ecosystems for ever. 

The Arctic region has a unique environment of global importance. Previous activities of the Soviet Union, particularly military, led to contamination of the Russian Arctic by radioactivity and different chemicals. Although data collected by international experts do not indicate significant immediate risk for the Arctic and global environment and for the public health, permanent monitoring and elaboration of appropriate measures are necessary to prevent further contamination and reduce possible negative effects in the future. 

Russian Arctic on The Edge of Catastrophe, by L. Bogoslovskaya et al. (Center for Environmental Policy in Russia, Moscow, 1996) (quoted as Arctic). 

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