Researchers of the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPC RAS) as a part of an international research group have developed a system for early detection of concentrations of pollutants dangerous for living organisms in the waters of the Gulf of Finland. The method is based on the analysis of the functional state of mollusks living in water using special biomarkers. The development will allow for timely predicting environmental risks in advance identifying the most vulnerable areas of the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland.
The Gulf of Finland is the Eastern part of the Baltic Sea, it washes the shores of Finland, Estonia and Russia. The key Russian cargo and passenger ports on the Baltic Sea are located here: St. Petersburg, Primorsk, Vyborg, Ust-Luga and other. In recent decades, the ecological state of the Russian part of the Gulf has been unsatisfactory: due to human activity, a large number of pollutants enter the water area. To control the quality of the environment and ensure safety, scientists from the three countries regularly monitor the processes that occur in the waters of the Gulf.
"In a result of the research done by scientists of SRCES RAS - SPC RAS, a method of bio indication of the ecological state (health) of the coastal waters of the Gulf of Finland eastern part was developed and tested based on an analysis of the cardiac activity of local mollusk species. For instance, according to the recovery time of the heartbeat of mollusks after stress to the background heartbeat level; the state of animal health can be diagnosed," says Andrey Sharov, a Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of Bioelectronic Methods of Geoecological Monitoring of SPC RAS.
Researchers have recorded the toxic effects of "early warning" using so-called biomarkers, earlier developed at SPC RAS. The above biomarkers are aimed at an analysis of the physiological parameters of invertebrates (mollusks living in the Gulf of Finland); based on the mentioned parameters the researchers can arrive to the conclusion what is contamination level in any part of the water area.
To collect samples in the waters of the Gulf of Finland, several expeditions were organized, and scientists of SPC RAS took active part in them. In the Center’s laboratories an analysis of the hazardous chemicals’ content in water, bottom sediments and biota was done; the biological effects of harmful substances was also investigated.
The performed research has revealed that state of most of the water area of the Gulf of Finland belonging to Russia is satisfactory. The content of cadmium and lead, petroleum products and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) - persistent organic pollutants in all the studied sites was low both in bottom sediments and in the tissues of aquatic animals and plants.
Along with this, researchers have specified several sites of particular risk; they are located at wastewater intake and near the ports of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. The impact of such hazardous substances as zinc, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and organo-tin compounds was recorded within these areas. In addition, in some coastal cites of the bay (near Sestroretsk and Bolshaya Izhora), a dangerous pharmaceutical drug diclofenac was found in the water in concentrations close to the level that violates the state of natural complexes. The Federal Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection of Germany has established one of the lowest levels of ecosystem safe content for diclofenac in seawater - 5 ng/l.
"The use of such "early warning systems" regarding the harmful effects of PS will allow reliably predicting the effects of toxicity and preventing their influence on such vital functions of the body as metabolism, growth and reproduction. Namely these functions play a leading role in the well-being and healthy development of populations of living organisms and the harmonious coexistence of man and the environment in the Baltic region," adds Andrey Sharov.
The main results of the project will be used to develop a strategy for transnational monitoring and assessment of the effects of hazardous substances not only in the research area of the project, but also in other regions of the Baltic Sea. The project "Hazardous Chemicals in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland - concentration and impact assessment" (HAZardous chemicals in the eastern Gulf of Finland – concentrations and impact assessment (HAZLESS) is being implemented with the financial support of the Russia-Estonia Cross-Border Cooperation Program for the period 2014-2020.
The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of SRCES RAS - SPC RAS and in no way reflects the position of the participating countries of the Program and the European Union.