Surface water characterization of three rivers in the Pb/Zn mining region of north-eastern Macedonia

Ramani, Sheriban; Dragun, Zrinka; Kapetanović, Damir; Kostov, Vasil; Jordanova, Maja; Erk, Marijana; Hajrulai-Musliu, Zehra (2014) Surface water characterization of three rivers in the Pb/Zn mining region of north-eastern Macedonia. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 66 (4). pp. 514-528. ISSN 0090-4341

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Official URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00244-01...

Abstract

The mine waste was recognized as one of the most serious threats for freshwater ecosystems, and it still represents one of the biggest environmental concerns in Macedonia. The aim of our investigation was to obtain in-depth understanding of the mining influence on freshwater systems, from the water contamination to the effects on aquatic organisms. In this paper we have assessed the impact of active Pb/Zn mines Zletovo and Toranica on water quality of three rivers in north-eastern Macedonia (Bregalnica, Zletovska and Kriva), based on the data collected in spring and autumn of 2012. The Bregalnica River, near Shtip, was characterized mainly by weak contamination with As, Ba, Fe, Mo, Ti, U, V, nitrate and phosphate, and critical faecal pollution, which alltogether could be connected to agricultural activities, whereas the impact of the mines was not observed. Contrary, both Zletovska and Kriva rivers revealed a clear impact of Pb/Zn mines on water quality. In the Zletovska River, increased concentrations of Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Li, Mn, Ni, Rb, Sn, Sr, Tl, Zn, sulphates and chlorides were found, especially in autumn (e.g. Cd: 2.0 µg L-1 ; Mn: 2.5 mg L-1 ; Zn: 1.5 mg L-1). In the Kriva River, increased Cd (0.270 µg L-1) and Pb (1.85 µg L-1) concentrations were found only in spring, possibly due to sediment resuspension during higher water discharge. The selected sampling sites on Bregalnica, Zletovska and Kriva rivers were confirmed as the appropriate locations for further studies of mining waste impact on the freshwater ecosystems, the first one as non-impacted site, and the other two as possible areas of increased exposure of aquatic organisms to metals.

Item Type:

Article

Additional Information:

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00244-014-0012-z

Uncontrolled Keywords:

bacterial counts; metals; mining; rivers; surface water quality

Subjects:

NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry > Inorganic Chemistry
NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Microbiology
NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES > Agronomy
BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES > Agronomy > Ecology and Environmental Protection

Divisions:

Division for Marine and Enviromental Research

Projects:

Project title	Project leader	Project code	Project type
Stanične promjene u vodnih organizama pobuđene metalima	Marijana Erk	098-0982934-2721	MZOS
Patologija organizama iz voda u odnosu na zagađivala i akvakulturu	Damir Kapetanović	098-0982934-2752	MZOS
Hrvatsko-makedonski bilateralni projekt “The assessment of the availability and effects of metals on fish in the rivers under the impact of mining activities”	Zrinka Dragun	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Hrvatsko-makedonski bilateralni projekt “Bacterial and parasitical communities of chub as indicators of the status of environment exposed to mining activities”	Damir Kapetanović	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED