Accumulation of toxic metals in sediment and biota of the Lužické Mountains springs

Rosmery Elizabeth Noriega Silva

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The accumulation of Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in water, sediment and biota collected along Lužické mountains springs was determined using flame 55 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (F55AAS) and graphite tube atomizer AA (GTA 120) (Agilent technologies). Sediments were subjected to both sequential extraction and pseudototal digestion procedures. Low pH, electrical conductivity, OD, and temperature were found in the autumn season than spring season. Near neutral pH (from 5.49 to 8.02) was found in 11 from 20 springs during spring season; while in the autumn season, acid pH (from 4.62 to 6.80) was observed in 15 from 18 springs. During spring season conductivity ranged from 78.7 to 762 microSiemen per cm, the temperature ranged from 7.3 to 14.1 degrees celsius and OD ranged from 4.11 to 10.83 mg per l. During autumn season conductivity ranged from 93 to 907 microSiemen per cm, the temperature ranged from 6.6 to 11.6 degrees celsius and OD ranged from 3.19 to 11.28 mg per l. The toxic metal concentrations in water ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0015 mg per l Cu, from 0.0002 to 0.0116 mg per l Zn, from 0.0000 to 0.0002 mg per l Pb and from 0.0000 to 0.0004 mg per l Cd; in the sediment from 0.00 to 91.70 mg per kg Cu, from 9.15 to 134.71 mg per kg Zn, from 0.00 to 83.67 mg per kg Pb and from 0.01 to 3.56 mg per kg Cd and in the biota from 4.86 to 53.52 mg per kg Cu, from 46.82 to 191.44 mg per kg Zn, from 0.00 to 6.93 mg per kg Pb and from 0.01 to 5.99 mg per kg Cd. According to the logarithmic distribution coefficient (log Kd), the metal most easily released from the sediment is Cu (2.8) in BS1017, log Kd ranged from 2.80 to 5.58 Cu, from 3.53 to 5.53 Zn, from 3.39 to 4.88 Cd and from 5.01 to 6.62 Pb, log Kd values >4 reflect lower availability, which means lower migration potential into liquid phase. According to HQ, sediments of springs do not seem to be significantly loaded by toxic metals, with the exception of Pb, HQ-TEC > 1 were found in ES1014, ES1009, EN1021, EN1011, EN1004, DN1012 and DN1010, and HQ-PEC > 0.5 was found in EN1021. EN1022 was considered the most contaminated spring with toxic metals Cd (3.56 mg per kg), Zn (134.71 mg per kg), Cu (43.48 mg per kg) and Pb (62.37 mg per kg), specially Cu, 13 times more than the background values; however, mobility factor (MF) is significantly very high for Cd (91%), Cu (73.60%), Zn (36.85%) and Cd (4.05%). Biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) ranged from 0.96 to 16.44 Cu, from 1.11 to 16.89 Zn, from 0.87 to 81.89 Cd and from 0.02 to 0.37 Pb, BSAF recorded the highest values in the accumulation of Cd. The following order of bioavailability was found with the toxic metals Cd > Zn > Cu > Pb.

Keywords

Toxic metals, biota, sediment, spring, accumulation, Lužické mountains

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 19. 4. 2017

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Dana Komínková, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Master programme / field:
Landscape Engineering / Land and Water Management