OSPAR Commission. Annual report on direct and riverine inputs to Norwegian coastal waters during the year 1998. A. Principles, results and discussions. B. Data report

Abstract

Riverine inputs of nutrients, selected heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants to Norwegian coastal waters from 10 main and 145 tributary rivers have been monitored during 1998. In addition, the inputs from rivers not monitored as well as direct discharges to marine waters along the coast from Sweden to Russia have been estimated. According to the results, total annual nutrient load to coastal waters from landbased sources, is approximately 3530 tonnes of phosphorus and 105.550 tonnes of nitrogen. About 41 per cent of the phosphorus and 62 per cent of the nitrogen are inputs from the monitored rivers and tributaries. Most inputs of heavy metals are low, especially the riverine inputs of Cd, Pb and Hg. A few values of Cd and Pb are below the detection limits of the specific analysis. For mercury, 58% of the total number of analyses were below the limit, whereas for the "Skagerrak-rivers" only, 79% of the values were above the detection limit. Most values of the different congeners of PCBs are below the detection limit. The pesticide lindane is detected in most analyses in small amounts. Total load of this compound is estimated to about 84 kg. The largest discharges from heavy metals comprise copper and zinc, with the input estimates of 308 and 1265 tonnes, respectively. the input estimates of 308 and 1265 tonnes, respectively. Retention in the fjords is not included in the above mentioned values, which in several cases would reduce the actual load to open marine waters considerably.