Distribution of Lead and Mercury in Peat Deposits of West Siberia (Marshland of Vasyuganye)
Results of the determination of overall content of lead and mercury in the peat deposits of an oligotrophic bog in West Siberia are presented.It is demonstrated that the modern level of atmospheric precipitation of lead is insignificant, the concentrations of lead in the upper horizons of peat deposits are much below the level of background values accepted for other territories. The data on mercury content are comparable with the results obtained previously for other background regions. A dependence of element distribution on the physicochemical properties of peat was revealed. Selective absorption of heavy metals by humic and fulvic acids of the organic matter of peat was discovered.