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Surface Water Characterization of Three Rivers in the Lead/Zinc Mining Region of Northeastern Macedonia

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Abstract

Mine waste is recognized as being one of the most serious threats for freshwater ecosystems, and it still represents one of the greatest environmental concerns in Macedonia. The aim of our investigation was to obtain an in-depth understanding of mining influence on freshwater systems from water contamination to effects on aquatic organisms. In this study, we assessed the impact of active lead (Pb)/zinc (Zn) mines Zletovo and Toranica on the water quality of three rivers in northeastern Macedonia (Bregalnica, Zletovska, and Kriva rivers) based on data collected in spring and autumn of 2012. The Bregalnica River, near Shtip, was characterized mainly by weak contamination with arsenic, barium, iron, molybdenum, titanium, uranium, vanadium, nitrate, and phosphate, as well as critical faecal pollution, which alltogether could be connected to agricultural activities; however, an impact of the mines was not observed. Contrary, both the Zletovska and Kriva rivers showed a clear impact of Pb/Zn mines on water quality. In the Zletovska River, increased concentrations of cadmium (Cd), cobalt, cesium, copper, lithium, manganese (Mn), nickel, rubidium, tin, strontium, thallium, 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 greater water discharge. The selected sampling sites on the Bregalnica, Zletovska, and Kriva rivers were confirmed as being appropriate locations for further studies of mining waste’s impact on freshwater ecosystems, the first one as a nonimpacted site and the other two as possible areas of increased exposure of aquatic organisms to metals.

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Acknowledgments

This study was performed as a part of two bilateral projects between Macedonia and Croatia entitled “The Assessment of the Availability and Effects of Metals on Fish in the Rivers Under the Impact of Mining Activities” and “Bacterial and Parasitical Communities of Chub as Indicators of the Status of Environment Exposed to Mining Activities.” The authors are grateful to project participants Vlatka Filipović Marijić, Damir Valić, Katerina Rebok, and Nesrete Krasnići, for valuable assistance in the field. Financial support by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport of the Republic of Croatia (Projects No. 098-0982934-2721 and 098-0982934-2752) is acknowledged. The hydrological data were obtained courtesy of the Hydrometeorological Service of the Republic of Macedonia. The authors are especially thankful to Nevenka Mikac for the opportunity to use HR ICP-MS and to Željka Fiket for insightful contribution to the discussion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydrology and Ecology Department, National Hydrometeorological Service, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Sheriban Ramani

  2. Laboratory for Biological Effects of Metals, Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10002, Zagreb, Croatia

    Zrinka Dragun & Marijana Erk

  3. Laboratory for Aquaculture and Pathology of Aquatic Organisms, Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10002, Zagreb, Croatia

    Damir Kapetanović

  4. Institute of Animal Sciences, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Vasil Kostov

  5. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Maja Jordanova

  6. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Zehra Hajrulai-Musliu

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  1. Sheriban Ramani
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  2. Zrinka Dragun
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Correspondence to Zrinka Dragun.

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Ramani, S., Dragun, Z., Kapetanović, D. et al. Surface Water Characterization of Three Rivers in the Lead/Zinc Mining Region of Northeastern Macedonia. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 66, 514–528 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-014-0012-z

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