TASS, July 3. Participants in the Arctic Floating University expedition will determine new organic pollutants in the Arctic that earlier were not detected in high latitudes, a TASS correspondent reported from aboard the Professor Molchanov research vessel.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals are considered to be the most dangerous pollutants, among others. They may be determined by using modern highly sensitive analytical methods, where results would be not just measured concentrations of already known pollutants, but new pollutants that have not been studied earlier.

"During this voyage, we are engaged mainly in sampling to determine pollutants. This is the main task. Our samples are quite diverse: snow when we walk ashore, air. In fact, snow pollution also reflects the atmosphere conditions. Thus, we want to explore and compare," Alexey Malkov of the Northern Arctic Federal University (NAFU), told TASS. "Non-targeted screening in search for new pollutants is planned to be based on snow and air test results. If we knew what to look for, that would have been targeted screening. Here, we will be looking for whatever we can determine."

For example, during such a screening on the Arctic archipelagos, scientists found pyridine and its derivatives. Results of studies have found those were consequences of peat fires on the mainland, the incomplete peat combustion. "It burns with a lack of air, smolders at fairly high, but still moderate temperatures, no higher than 600 degrees. Pyridines are released from peat. That is, it is a natural process. No one has expected it would be found here," the expert said.

Living organisms in the Arctic exist in extreme conditions. Therefore, additional negative impacts, including those caused by anthropogenic pollution, pose a specific danger to them. Bigger economic activities in the Arctic and climate change processes may cause a more intensive inflow of pollutants into these ecosystems. The accumulated data on pollutants will record the current situation and will be used to monitor further changes.

Heavy metals

The scientists have sampled seawater and sediments for heavy metals. They sampled water at different horizons to see distribution. "This work is more about searching, because the methods to determine metals are not perfect yet," he said.

The water samples will be tested at the laboratory on the shore. Scientists use modern equipment to be able to identify up to 15 elements at a time.

Arctic Floating University - 2024

On June 25, the Arctic Floating University departed from Arkhangelsk to conduct research in the White and Barents Seas, on the Kolguev Island, on islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land.

The project's partners and sponsors are the Arkhangelsk Region's government, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Russian Geographical Society, VTB Bank, Norilsk Nickel, Roshydromet (the hydrometeorology service), the Russian Arctic National Park, the Floating University Coordination Center at MIPT (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; also known as PhysTech), the Nauka (Science) year-round youth educational center.