European Geosciences Union, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, p. 1-29
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Towards a better understanding of chemical composition of snow and its impact on surface water hydrochemistry in poorly studied Western Siberia Lowland (WSL), dissolved (melted snow) and particulate (> 0.45 μm) fractions of snow were sampled in February 2014 across a 1700-km latitudinal gradient (c.a. 56.5 to 68° N) in essentially pristine regions. Concentration of dissolved Fe, Co, Cu, As, La, increased by a factor of 2 to 5 north of 63° N. The pH, Ca, Mg, Sr, Mo and U dissolved concentration in snow water increased with the increase in concentration of particulate fraction (PF), which was also correlated with the increase in calcite and dolomite proportion in the mineral fraction, suggesting an enrichment of meltwater by these elements during dissolution of carbonate minerals. The concentrations of Al, Fe, Pb, La and other insoluble elements in