Geoecological Assessment of Small Riversin the Big Industrial City Based on the Dataon Heavy Metal Content in Bottom Sediments

Z. I. Slukovskii

The analysis of heavy metal concentration in the bottom sediments of water bodies located within large urban areas is an important component of the monitoring of urban ecosystems. Presented are the results of studying the concentration of heavy metals (by mass spectrometry) in the channel and floodplain river sediments in Petrozavodsk (the Republic of Karelia). It is found that the floodplain sediments of the Lososinka River and the fluvial sediments of the Neglinka River are characterized by the highest level of contamination in terms of the total pollution index Zc. High values of the geoac- cumulation index Igeo (>2–3) for lead, zinc, cobalt, nickel, and copper classify the bottom sediments of the urban river stretches of Petrozavodsk as moderately and heavily polluted.