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!!!!!TEXT TO BE UPDATED!!!!!!
Waterborne inputs of heavy metals to the Baltic Sea
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Key message
In 2004 the reported waterborne (including coastal areas) mercury load entering the Baltic Sea amounted to 2.5 tonnes, the lead load to 120 tonnes, and the cadmium load to 6.2 tonnes. During the period 1994-2004 riverine heavy metal loads (notably Cd and Pb) seem to have decreased for most of Contracting Parties. However, incomplete data from some countries makes it difficult to draw conclusions concerning the total heavy metal load into the Baltic Sea.
Results and assessment
Relevance of the indicator for describing developments in the environment
High concentrations of heavy metals in biota of the Baltic Sea is mainly caused by loading from the land-based sources. In 2004 about 50 % of cadmium and lead, and 40 % of mercury entered the Baltic Sea via rivers or as direct waterborne discharges. The rest originates from atmospheric deposition.
Policy relevance and policy references
Excessive heavy metal concentrations may pose a health risk to the marine biota and to humans. In the Baltic Sea high concentrations of mercury, cadmium and lead have been measured in fish, in birds' eggs and in the seal tissue, for instance. Measured concentrations of heavy metals have typically been as much as an order of magnitude higher than concentrations in the North Sea. The main reason behind these high concentrations in the Baltic Sea is intense industrial activity, high populations in the catchment area, and above all the long renewal time of the seawater. Quantified annual information on the waterborne inputs of heavy metals is needed for evaluation of long-term changes of heavy metal concentrations in biota and the state of marine environment.
Assessment
Due to the incomplete data on heavy metals, a good quantitative picture of the loads entering the Baltic Sea cannot be given. Shortcomings in national monitoring programs and the lack of proper laboratory equipment meant that heavy metal figures were not obtained in many cases, or the loads reported are not fully reliable (no harmonized detection limits in all HELCOM countries). Also different calculation methods have been used in the countries if the measured concentrations have been below the detection limit. The data sets of unmonitored rivers and coastal areas are even more incomplete.
The riverine heavy metal loads also vary to some extent with runoff from year to year, but not to the extent as nutrient loads due to their origin (industry, waste water treatment plants). To be able to evaluate the reductions of heavy metal load from land-based sources comparable, reliable and extensive long-term data (since early '80s) should be available.
Figure 1. Direct inputs of Lead in t/a to the Baltic Sea and the river, coastal and direct point and diffuse source flow in m3/s of 1994-2005 of the 9 riparian countries. (Note variable scales in the graphs). Click image to enlarge.
Figure 2. Direct inputs of Cadmium in t/a to the Baltic Sea and the river, coastal and direct point source flow in m3/s of 1994-2005 of the 9 riparian countries. (Note variable scales in the graphs) Click image to enlarge.
Figure 3. Direct inputs of Mercury in t/a to the Baltic Sea and the river, coastal and direct point source flow in m3/s of 1994-2005 of the 9 riparian countries. (Note variable scales in the graphs) Click image to enlarge.
Data
Time series of riverine, coastal and direct point source inputs to the Baltic Sea for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury including the river and coastal flow in 1994-2005.
Table 1. Riverine, coastal and point source flow to the Baltic Sea of 9 countries in 1994-2005, m3/s
| COUNTRY | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Denmark | 410.5 | 328.9 | 162.0 | 175.7 | 320.6 | 372.7 | 337.8 | 288.9 | 387.7 | 215.7 | 295.4 | 262.1 |
| Estonia | 710.8 | 761.1 | 431.2 | 622.2 | 827.0 | 756.4 | 558.9 | 611.3 | 536.7 | 466.4 | 808.6 | 772.5 |
| Finland | 2078.4 | 2406.8 | 1982.8 | 2091.3 | 2931.1 | 2198.2 | 2884.5 | 2295.1 | 1784.4 | 1503.7 | 2515.9 | 2489.6 |
| Germany | 184.8 | 146.6 | 82.3 | 82.7 | 151.3 | 134.2 | 114.6 | 113.7 | 188.7 | 79.7 | 103.7 | 106.0 |
| Latvia | 1149.5 | 998.3 | 605.8 | 991.8 | 1470.4 | 1004.7 | 940.2 | 825.4 | 932.9 | 701.2 | 929.0 | 897.5 |
| Lituania | 1047.4 | 787.7 | 642.8 | 598.2 | 886.4 | 828.5 | 644.5 | 638.3 | 702.8 | 285.9 | 525.1 | 508.8 |
| Poland | 1952.6 | 1887.3 | 2045.5 | 2236.7 | 2431.7 | 2346.3 | 2104.4 | 2182.4 | 2279.1 | 1474.1 | 1529.4 | 1619.7 |
| Russia | 2411.7 | 2612.3 | 2036.6 | 2077.2 | 2308.6 | 2576.9 | 2347.1 | 2494.4 | 2263.9 | 1672.1 | 2358.0 | 2796.8 |
| Sweden | 5111.1 | 6124.8 | 3891.8 | 5105.8 | 7075.2 | 6285.8 | 7575.1 | 7179.0 | 5332.2 | 4027.7 | 5343.2 | 6014.5 |
| Baltic Sea | 15056.9 | 16053.7 | 11880.8 | 13981.6 | 18402.3 | 16503.8 | 17507.2 | 16628.4 | 14408.4 | 10426.7 | 14408.2 | 15467.5 |
Table 2. Direct inputs of Lead of 9 countries in 1994-2005 as totals, t/a.
| COUNTRY | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Denmark | 0.0 | 0.36 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.52 | 1.54 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.77 | 0.0 |
| Estonia | 26.32 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.08 | 10.04 |
| Finland | 28.96 | 31.16 | 32.00 | 27.57 | 41.31 | 33.11 | 42.36 | 32.72 | 16.84 | 11.58 | 24.44 | 27.04 |
| Germany | 6.69 | 2.91 | 2.25 | 1.92 | 5.14 | 2.91 | 1.89 | 3.59 | 4.95 | 2.02 | 1.53 | 0.93 |
| Latvia | 11.21 | 8.80 | 2.09 | 4.88 | 5.35 | 4.32 | 12.33 | 6.51 | 7.96 | 14.24 | 18.0 | 8.4 |
| Lituania | 40.12 | 17.87 | 44.63 | 38.42 | 18.83 | 25.29 | 23.76 | 28.01 | 2.71 | 9.10 | 12.54 | 9.43 |
| Poland | 203.69 | 136.19 | 57.95 | 61.99 | 58.51 | 65.97 | 46.65 | 66.76 | 31.77 | 33.49 | 28.41 | 41.18 |
| Russia | 257.88 | 474.82 | 100.02 | 155.13 | 157.13 | 183.98 | 290.03 | 196.41 | 157.30 | 186.00 | 259.0 | 337.6 |
| Sweden | 94.67 | 157.83 | 83.06 | 125.51 | 50.41 | 53.06 | 57.63 | 55.13 | 36.95 | 29.61 | 41.65 | 37.90 |
| Baltic Sea | 669.5 | 829.9 | 322.0 | 415.4 | 336.7 | 368.6 | 485.3 | 390.7 | 258.5 | 286.0 | 397.5 | 472.5 |
Table 3. Direct inputs of Cadmium of 9 countries in 1994-2005 as totals, t/a.
| COUNTRY | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Denmark | 0.00 | 0.32 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.24 | 0.20 | 0.12 | 0.27 | 0.00 |
| Estonia | 2.28 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.77 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.96 | 0.66 |
| Finland | 2.05 | 2.33 | 2.39 | 2.88 | 2.90 | 2.48 | 3.39 | 2.17 | 1.33 | 1.43 | 2.03 | 1.75 |
| Germany | 1.15 | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.19 | 0.13 | 0.09 | 0.15 |
| Latvia | 3.29 | 1.62 | 0.73 | 1.36 | 1.82 | 0.61 | 1.66 | 1.21 | 2.57 | 3.02 | 1.12 | 0.51 |
| Lituania | 4.01 | 0.82 | 1.35 | 1.24 | 2.40 | 0.77 | 1.31 | 1.42 | 0.74 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| Poland | 17.57 | 9.93 | 7.31 | 5.12 | 6.24 | 6.57 | 7.38 | 2.09 | 1.42 | 2.34 | 1.07 | 8.57 |
| Russia | 39.17 | 45.25 | 9.65 | 16.11 | 16.71 | 18.23 | 34.41 | 34.87 | 25.86 | 0.00 | 25.10 | 41.00 |
| Sweden | 1.08 | 1.34 | 1.27 | 1.93 | 2.89 | 2.35 | 3.42 | 2.46 | 1.97 | 1.19 | 1.81 | 1.67 |
| Baltic Sea | 70.59 | 61.86 | 22.84 | 28.74 | 33.20 | 31.27 | 52.76 | 44.60 | 34.27 | 8.26 | 32.46 | 54.52 |
Table 4. Direct inputs of Mercury of 9 countries in 1994-2005 as totals, t/a.
| COUNTRY | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Denmark | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| Estonia | 0.44 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.18 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.86 | 0.70 |
| Finland | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.70 | 0.92 | 0.33 | 0.38 | 0.27 | 0.33 |
| Germany | 0.16 | 0.15 | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Latvia | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.03 |
| Lituania | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.23 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.82 | 0.00 |
| Poland | 6.76 | 10.19 | 5.80 | 2.16 | 20.38 | 103.56 | 43.09 | 9.30 | 2.47 | 6.48 | 1.13 | 12.22 |
| Russia | 0.09 | 0.35 | 0.02 | 0.13 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Sweden | 0.00 | 0.61 | 0.31 | 0.23 | 0.32 | 0.32 | 0.63 | 0.46 | 0.23 | 0.14 | 0.21 | 0.25 |
| Baltic Sea | 7.48 | 11.61 | 6.25 | 2.60 | 20.79 | 104.17 | 45.84 | 11.13 | 3.11 | 7.34 | 6.35 | 13.61 |
References
HELCOM PLC data base
Meta data
Technical Information:1) Data have been collected by the Contracting Parties of HELCOM and submitted to the Pollution Load Compilation database (PLC database). The data base is located in the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).
2) Description of data: The data are based on annual average concentrations (mg/l) of nutrients and their fractions (Ptotal, PO4-P, Ntotal, NH4-N, NO2-N, NO3-N and NO2,3-N), concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb and Hq) and mean flows (m³/s). The contracting parties have calculated the annual loads (t/a) of monitored and unmonitored rivers, coastal areas and direct point sources. From 2003 on also loads on direct diffuse sources have been collected. All these data have been pooled together as total loads to the Baltic Sea by country.
Monitored river loads and most of the point source data are based on measurements, and unmonitored river catchment, coastal area loads and direct diffuse loads on estimates, respectively.
3) Spatial coverage: drainage of the Baltic Sea of 9 riparian countries; Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden, including the drainages of the Baltic Sea in Belarus, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovakia and Ukraine.
4) Transboundary rivers: To avoid double data reporting of the transboundary rivers, their loads have been included in as follows:
River Tornio (Finland)/Torne älv (Sweden): in the Swedish data
River Narva (Russia and Estonia): in the Estonian data
River Oder (Poland): in the Polish data
5) Temporal coverage: nutrients 1994-2005 and harmful substances 1994-2005
6) Russian data includes also the reported data of the Kaliningrad Region.
Data Quality:1) Methodology and frequency: variable, basically as agreed on the PLC-5 guidelines for monitored rivers daily flow and concentration regression or monthly flow and concentrations, and for unmonitored areas loads based on the surface area comparison with a similar monitored area.
2) Heterogeneous data in space and time and may cause some variation between years. Due to robust analysing methods in some countries reported loads might be too high.
Missing data
Only the missing data of all sources, i.e. monitored rivers, coastal area and direct point and diffuse sources, have been listed below. Therefore, more data may be partially missing.
Flow
No data of 1994-2005 from the Kaliningrad region of Russia.
Nitrogen
Most of the data of 1994-2005 from the Kaliningrad region of Russia and Russian data of 1994-1999 and Ntot data of 2005 from the Gulf of Finland.
Phosphorus
Most of the data of 1994-2005 from the Kaliningrad region of Russia.
Lead
No data of 1994, 1996-1999, 2002-2003 and 2005 from Denmark, no data of 1995-1999 and 2001-2003 from Estonia.
Cadmium
No data of 1994, 1996-1999 and 2005 from Denmark, no data of 1995-1999 and 2001-2003 from Estonia, no data from Russia 2003.
Mercury
No data of 1994, 1996-1999 and 2005 from Denmark, no data of 1995-1999 and 2001-2003 from Estonia, no data of 1994-2005y from Latvia, no data from Lithuania of 1994-1998, 2000, 2002 and 2005 and no data from Russia 2004.
Analysis method of Mercury was changed in Finland in 2000.
Missing data have been listed in table 7.
Table 7. Years of the missing data by parameter and country.
| Country | Flow | Nitrogen | Phosphorus | Lead | Cadmium | Mercury |
| Denmark | 1994, 1996-1999, 2002-2003, 2005 | 1994, 1996-1999, 2005 | 1994, 1996-1999, 2005 | |||
| Estonia | 1995-1999, 2001-2003 | 1995-1999, 2001-2003 | 1995-1999, 2001-2003 | |||
| Finland | ||||||
| Germany | ||||||
| Latvia | 1994-1998, 2002 | |||||
| Lituania | 1994-1998, 2002, 2005 | |||||
| Poland | ||||||
| Russia | 1994-1999 | 2003 | ||||
| Sweden | 1994 |
For reference purposes, please cite this indicator fact sheet as follows:
[Author’s name(s)], [Year]. [Indicator Fact Sheet title]. HELCOM Indicator Fact Sheets 2007. Online. [Date Viewed], http://www.helcom.fi/environment2/ifs/en_GB/cover/.
Last updated: 2.10.2007