Long-term Studies of Atmospheric Aerosol Chemical Composition at the Cape Baranov Ice Base Station

The chemical composition of atmospheric aerosol sampled at the Cape Baranov Ice Base research station (Severnaya Zemlya archipelago) in 2017–2022 is studied. The interannual and seasonal dynamics of ions and trace elements in the aerosol composition is analyzed in detail. A 1.5-fold increase in the annual mean total ion concentrations is traced. The growth of the sum of ions was mainly due to the concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions of marine origin, the content of which is minimal in summer and maximal in winter. The variations in the concentrations of nonmarine ions \({\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + },\) K⁺, Ca²⁺, F^–, \({\text{NO}}_{2}^{ - },\) and \({\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - }\) differed from the seasonal course of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations: the former decreased during the transition from winter to spring and increases in summer with a subsequent decrease in autumn against the background of an increase in the sum of ions due the marine ions. The ion composition of aerosols is formed under the effect of the marine factor, air mass transport, underlying surface, and wildfires. Among trace elements, Fe, Al, Zn, Mn, Sn, Cr, and Cu dominated with high concentrations in the fall and winter periods. Based on enrichment factors, elements of terrigenous (Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, Th, and U), mixed terrigenous and nonterrigenous (Li, Be, V, Co, Sr, and Ba), and nonterrigenous origin (Ni, Cu, Zn, Cr, Mo, Mo, W, Ag, Tl, Pb, As, Se, Cd, Sn, and Sb) are identified. The highest contribution to the total level of air pollution is made by Fe and Mn in winter and autumn and by Fe and Be in spring and summer. Among nonterrigenic elements, Cu, Sn, Zn, Se, and Ni contributed the most in all seasons. The level of air pollution with trace elements is assessed as low at the Cape Baranov Ice Base station.