A GRADIENT STUDY OF 34 ELEMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF A COPPER-NICKEL SMELTER IN THE KOLA PENINSULA EILIV STEINNES 1∗ , NATALIA LUKINA 2 , VYACHESLAV NIKONOV 2 , DAN AAMLID 3 and ODDVAR RØYSET 4 1 Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway; 2 Institute of North Industrial Ecological Problems, Kola Science Centre, 184200 Apatity, Russia; 3 Norwegian Forest Research Institute, 1432 Ås, Norway; 4 Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2007 Kjeller, Norway ( ∗ author for correspondence, e-mail: eiliv.steinnes@chembio.ntnu.no) (Received 4 February 1998; accepted 28 September 1998) Abstract. Concentrations of 34 elements determined by ICP mass spectrometry were studied in surface soil and vegetation along a north–south gradient through the ‘Pechenganickel’ smelter com- plex in Kola peninsula, northern Russia. Strong influence from the smelter was evident for Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu, mainly associated with dry deposition of large particles. Also for As, Se, Mo, Sb, Te, Bi, and Pb the smelter or associated sources appeared to be distinct contributors of contamination consisting presumably of smaller particles. Significant but less distinct effects leading to enhanced concentration levels were observed for P, S, V, Cr, Zn, and Tl. In the case of Mn, Rb, Sr, Cs, and Ba the concentrations in vegetation were generally lower near the source, which may be due to cation exchange with protons or heavy metal cations in the soil and subsequent leaching from the root zone. For Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Y, Cd, La, Th, and U no particular influence from the smelter complex was observed. Some characteristic differences observed in element concentrations in different plant species and between different years of Pinus sylvestris needles are discussed. The high concentrations observed for many trace elements in the humus horizon indicates that it acts as an active biogeochemical barrier against downward transport of these elements. Keywords: copper-nickel smelter, ICP mass spectrometry, Kola peninsula, pollution, soil, trace elements, vegetation 1. Introduction The extensive heavy metal contamination of terrestrial ecosystems from large- scale copper-nickel smelters has been recognized for a long time (Hutchinson and Whitby, 1974; Steinnes, 1977; Doncheva, 1978). One of the largest facilities of this kind is the ‘Pechenganickel’ smelter situated in the western part of the Kola peninsula, Russia in the town of Nikel, only 8 km from the Norwegian/Russian border. Several investigations on the contamination of soils and vegetation have been carried out in recent years on both sides of the border (Lukina and Nikonov, 1992, 1996; Sjøbakk and Steinnes, 1992; Aamlid and Venn, 1993; Gytarsky et al., 1995), but these studies have been restricted to a few elements, as have most similar studies around other copper-nickel smelters. In the present work, the introduction Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 60: 71–88, 2000. © 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.