Heavy metals in marine aerosols of the AZOV sea

The content of heavy metals and Al in the aerosol matter over the Sea of Azov has been studied. According to the special test the vast majority of samples were attributed to the type of marine aerosol. The ranges of contents were determined as following: Fe (200 – 2000 ng / m3), Al (20 – 200 ng / m3), Zn (10 – 280 ng / m3), Cu (2 – 23 ng / m3), Ni (1 – 16 ng / m3), Pb (3-30 ng / m3), Cd (0.4 –2.8 ng / m3); Mn (3 – 23 ng / m3), Cr (1 – 15 ng / m3). The spatial distribution of HMs in the marine aerosol of the Sea of Azov depends on the influence of the river-sea geochemical barrier zone in the Taganrog Bay and the anthropogenic impact of the coastal industrial cities. HM concentrations decrease from the northern coast of the bay and the mouth of the Don River towards the open sea. The maximum HM content in marine aerosol observed in the mouth area of the Don River. It may be associated with the HM accumulation at the river-sea geochemical barrier, and also with the anthropogenic impact of the cities of Rostov-on-Don, Azov and Taganrog. Anthropogenic impact of the city of Mariupol cause the maximum values of Fe, Cr, and Cd in marine aerosol matter of the western part of the Taganrog Bay. © 2020, Russian Geographical Society. All rights reserved.