Caspian Sea 2011

State of the Environment of the Caspian Sea

Previously, the highest lindane levels (above the NOAA standard) were noted in Russian regions. Surveys in 2005 identified the coastal area close to the Kura River as a lindane hot spot, surpass- ing the ISQG level of 320 pg/g with a recorded highest concentration of 1060 pg/g (TACIS 2009). In 2009, relatively fresh and high concentrations of Chlorinated Organic Pesticides and DDT were observed in the bottom sediments of Kura-Arak’s alluvium and in the Russian area, also despite the global ban. In the southern part of the Terek River, β -HCCH concentrations exceeded the Admissi- ble Limit Concentration standard (ALC) by seven times (TACIS 2009a). Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) The survey of 2001 showed that, in general, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) concentrations

were relatively low by global standards (Mora and Sheikholeslami 2002), and did not exceed the NOAA (23 ng/g) concentration level. In 2001, the highest values were identified in the Russian sec- tor. The 2005 survey identified the highest total PCB levels: two sites in the Kura River had con- centrations of 30.0 and 28.7 ng/g, surpassing the sediment quality guideline value of 23 ng/g dry weight (CEP 2007a). PCB chlorination dispersion indicated that most sites had experienced mul- tiple inputs of different commercial mixtures of PCBs, including Sovol and TCD of Soviet origin (CEP 2007a). Monitoring carried out in 2009 by the CaspianMAP project (TACIS 2009a) showed low levels of PCBs in the Russian sector: the sur- vey noted that results from elsewhere were not submitted, and concluded that it was therefore difficult to assess the overall current situation.

Pesticides and heavy metals in sediments

V

V

V

Atyrau

b a

b a

b a

Atyrau

o l g

o l g

Atyrau

o l g

m

m

m

E

E

E

a

a

a

Astrakhan

Astrakhan

Astrakhan

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

Aktau

Aktau

Aktau

Makhachkala

Makhachkala

Makhachkala

Derbent

Derbent

Derbent

Baku

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

Turkmenbashi

Turkmenbashi

Turkmenbashi

Baku

Baku

k s

K u r

K u r

k s

k s

K u r

r a

r a

r a

A

a

a

a

A

A

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

k

k

k

a

a

r

a

r

t

r

t

t

A

A

A

Rasht

Rasht

Rasht

Gorgan

Gorgan

Gorgan

IRAN

IRAN

IRAN

Pesticides

Nickel

Chromium

0

200 km

0

200 km

0

200 km

Sampling areas Chromium concentration above ERL (81 µg/g)

Sampling areas DDT concentration above ERL (1,600 pg/g) Lindane concentration above ERL (300 pg/g)

Sampling areas Nickel concentration above ERL (21 µg/g)

N.B.: Maximum chromium concentration in analyses measured was 128 µg/g.

N.B.: Maximum nickel concentration in analyses measured was 68 µg/g.

The Effects Range Low (ERL) is an indicator of concentrations above which adverse effects occur (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Sediment Quality Guideline Values).

Source: Interpretation of Caspian Sea Sediment Data, Caspian Environment Programme, 2002.

52