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    STUDIA CHEMIA - Issue no. 2 / 2021  
         
  Article:   ASSESSMENT OF TOXIC ELEMENTS CONTAMINATION IN SURFACE WATER AND SEDIMENTS IN A MINING AFFECTED AREA.

Authors:  ANA MOLDOVAN, ANAMARIA IULIA TÖRÖK, OANA CADAR, MARIUS ROMAN, CECILIA ROMAN, VALER MICLE.
 
       
         
  Abstract:  
DOI: 10.24193/subbchem.2021.2.16

Published Online: 2021-06-30
Published Print: 2021-06-30
pp.181-196


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ABSTRACT: To assess the spatial and temporal contamination with toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn), surface water and sediments were collected in 2019 and 2020, from Valea Sesii, a contaminated water stream in Romania. The toxic metal contamination of water was assessed using heavy metals evaluation index (HEI), heavy metals pollution index (HPI) and of sediments using contamination factor (Cf) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The metal concentrations were comparable within the two years, suggesting that the natural attenuation process was inadequate, and treatment technologies are required to improve surface water and sediment quality. The surface water presented high degree of metal contamination in 2019 as indicated by HPI > 100 and HEI < 10. The toxic metal concentrations in sediments were very high for Cd, Ni, Pb and Cu, with highest Igeo value for Cd and Cf for Ni. Surface water and sediments showed signs of high level of contamination in the sampling points located downstream of the copper mine discharge point, an improvement of their quality being noticed with distancing from the mining discharge area. This study is a first step for a comprehensive risk assessment and for an integrated environmental management.

Key words: metal contamination, river water, sediments, HEI, HPI, contamination index, Igeo
 
         
     
         
         
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