Geochemical recognition of terrigeneous material from the Ob and Yenisei rivers in bottom sediments of the eastern part of the Kara Sea

The continental runoff through the Ob and Yenisei river systems is the basic resource of bottom sediments in the eastern part of the Kara Sea. Various pollutants, including radionuclides, are transported to the sea together with many millions of tons of suspended min eral particles, organic detritus, and dissolved materi als. The global precipitation accumulated in land scapes of the water drainage areas and the active radi ochemical plants located in the upper reaches of the Ob and Yenisei rivers are the main sources of radioac tive pollution transported by the rivers [13]. Radio nuclides are mostly transported to the river estuaries and to the open part of the Kara Sea by suspended and colloid particles, which sorb significant portions of radioactive materials [1]. Rivers carry most of the sta ble chemical elements.