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A Case Study of Environmental Biomonitoring in an Urbanized Arctic Area (Novy Urengoy Urban District)
Summary
Scientists used moss and lichen as natural "air filters" to detect pollution in an Arctic city in Russia, finding traces of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury—plus microplastics—likely coming from traffic, an airport, and railways. While overall pollution levels were low, this study shows that even remote Arctic towns aren't immune to contamination, which matters because heavy metal exposure can build up in the body over time and has been linked to health issues affecting the brain, kidneys, and immune system. The findings also highlight a low-cost way to monitor pollution in areas where installing expensive equipment is dif
Abstract— Moss Sphagnum fuscum and lichen Cladonia stellaris bags were exposed for 8 weeks in the Novy Urengoy municipality, after which their chemical composition was studied. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of rock-forming mineral inclusions and heterogeneous solid inclusions of various origins in the samples, including the ore minerals pyrite, sphalerite, galena, argentite, atacamite, cobaltite, ilmenite, and rutile (anatase); barite; native iron; fine particles of antimony, mercury, silver, and gold; Fe–Cr–Mn, Fe–Mn, Fe–Cr, Fe–Ti–Mn, Ti–Fe, and Ni–Cr–Fe alloys; Cu–Zn, Cu–Ni, Cu–Ni–Zn–Mn, Cu–Hg, Cu–Sb, and Cu–Sn; titanium plates; and microplastics. The western part of the municipality is characterized by low pollution levels, while in the eastern part, Cu, Ni, and Zn emissions from Norilsk enterprises are recorded. In the southern part of the city, pollution of Ca, Cr, Fe, Cd, Mg, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn were detected; in the north, emissions of Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Sr were noted. Trends in metal accumulation by bags and epigeic lichens in various functional zones of the city are similar; however, bags had better accumulate elements that are poorly absorbed by plants during passive biomonitoring (K, Ca, Na, Ba, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn). The bioindication integral parameter BIP based on the Harrington desirability function confirmed the low level of pollutant input and the leading role of transport, as well as locally the airport and railways, in polluting the urban environment. The use of active biomonitoring methods in Arctic cities is recommended. The combined use of several transplant species is preferable, as Sphagnum fuscum better accumulates Ca, Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Sr, and Zn, while Cladonia stellaris accumulates Ba, Cr, Na, Ni, and Pb. The use of contamination factors is indicative for comparing pollutant accumulation by different species.