Skip to main content

Assessment of geogenic input into Bilina stream sediments (Czech Republic)

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 191, Article number: 114 (2019) Cite this article

Abstract

Over the past 100 years, the area along the River Bílina has been influenced by open-cast brown-coal mining, coal processing, petroleum refineries, and chemical plants. As a result, the extensive industrial activity has changed the overall character as well as the morphology of the landscape. A survey was underway to investigate the occurrence and distribution of various elements in the sediments of the River Bílina—a tributary of the River Elbe, a watercourse running through the Czech Republic and Germany—in order to discern the natural background from anthropogenic pollution. The study evaluated the content of selected elements (As, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, V, and Cu) in stream sediments of the River Bílina. Samples were taken at 20 sampling sites throughout the 82-km-long watercourse. For all the samples, the content of the elements was determined using ICP-MS after each of the sample was digested using HF and HNO3. The results of analyses of elemental composition of stream sediments were compared with those found through such analyses made within the surrounding geological units—more specifically, Proterozoic crystalline, Tertiary volcanic, Quaternary loess, Neogene sediments, and Neogene coal. All the samples of the stream sediments examined revealed increased amounts of As, V, Ni, Cr, and Pb. Using the enrichment factor established on the basis of the regional geological background values proved that elevated levels of elements in stream sediments are not always the result of industrial contamination.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
Fig 7
Fig 8
Fig 9
Fig. 10

References

  • Bábek, O., Grygar, T. M., Faměra, M., Hron, K., Nováková, T., & Sedláček, J. (2015). Geochemical background in polluted river sediments: How to separate the effects of sediment provenance and grain size with statistical rigour? Catena, 135, 240–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.07.003.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blahová, J., Schandlová, L., Grabic, R., Fedorová, G., Randák, T., & Svobodová, Z. (2012). Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination of the Bílina River (Czech Republic) using passive water samplers and fish biliary metabolites. Acta Veterinaria, 2011(80), 353–357. https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201180040353.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouška, V., & Pešek, J. (1999). Quality parameters of lignite of the North Bohemian Basin in the Czech Republic in comparison with the world average lignite. International Journal of Coal Geology, 40, 211–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-5162(98)00070-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brügman, L. (1995). Metals in sediments and suspended matter of the Elbe River. Science of the Total Environment, 159, 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(94)04252-i.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cajz, V., Vokurka, K., Balogh, K., Lang, M., & Ulrych, J. (1999). The České středohoří Mts.: Volcanostratigraphy and geochemistry. Geolines, 9, 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caracciolo, L., Le Pera, E., Muto, F., & Perri, F. (2011). Sandstone petrology and mudstone geochemistry of the Peruc–Korycany Formation (Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Czech Republic). International Geology Review, 53(9), 1003–1031. https://doi.org/10.1080/00206810903429011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doležalová Weismannová, H., Pavlovský, J., & Chovanec, P. (2015). Heavy metal contaminations of urban soils in Ostrava Czech Republic: assessment of metal pollution and using principal component analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research, 9, 683–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Famera, M., Babek, O., Matys Grygar, T., & Nováková, T. (2013). Distribution of heavy-metal contamination in regulated river-channel deposits: a magnetic susceptibility and grain-size approach; River Morava, Czech Republic. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 224, 1525–1542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1525-1.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fojtík, S., Voroš, D., & Geršlová, E. (2018). Distribution of trace elements in the lower and upper benches of the main coal seam in the Most Basin. Geoscience Research Reports, 51(1), 43–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grba, N., Neubauer, F., Šajnovič, A., Stojanovič, K., & Jovančičevič, B. (2015). Heavy metals in Neogene sedimentary rocks as a potential geogenic hazard for sediment, soil, and surface and groundwater contamination (eastern Posavina and the Lopare Basin, Bosnia and Herzegovina). Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society, 80(6), 827–838.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurajda, P., Adámek, Z., Janáč, M., & Valová, Z. (2010). Longitudal patterns in fish and macrozoobenthos assemblages reflect degradation of water quality and physical habitat in the Bilina river basin. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 3, 123–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiglová, J., Jiřinec, P., Langhammer, J., Ingeduldová, E., Chalupová, D., Ferenčík, M., & Jánský, B. (2015a). Numerical modelling of heavily polluted fine-grained sediments remobilization in northern Czech Republic. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, 15, 111–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecohyd.2015.02.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiglová, J., Langhammer, J., Jiřinec, P., Janský, B., & Chalupová, D. (2015b). Numerical simulations of heavily polluted fine-grained sediment remobilization using 1D, 1D+ and 2D channel schematization. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(3), 115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4339-3.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ketris, M., & Yudowich, Y. (2009). Estimations of clarkes for carbonaceous biolithes: world averages for trace element contents in black shales and coals. International Journal of Coal Geology, 78, 135–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2009.01.002.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohušová, K., Havel, L., Vlasák, P., & Tonika, J. (2011). A long-term survey of heavy metals and specific organic compounds in biofilms, sediments, and surface water in a heavily affected river in the Czech Republic. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 174, 555–572. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1478-4.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kružíková, K., & Svobodová, Z. (2012). Assessment of mercury contamination in the Bílina River (Czech Republic) using indicator fish. Acta Veterinaria, 81, 63–68. https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201281010063.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langedal, M. (1997). Dispersion of tailings in the Knabena—Kvina drainage basin, Norway, 1: Evaluation of overbank sediments as sampling medium for regional geochemical mapping. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 58, 2–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0375-6742(96)00069-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nováková, T., Matys Grygar, T., Kotková, K., Elznicová, J., Strnad, L., & Mihaljevič, M. (2015). Pollution assessment using local enrichment factors: the Berounka River (Czech Republic). Journal of Soils and Sediments, 16, 1081–1092. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1315-z.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orendt, C., Wolfram, G., Adámek, Z., Jurajda, P., & Schmitt-Jansen, M. (2012). The response of macroinvertebrate community taxa and functional groups to pollution along a heavily impacted river in Central Europe (Bilina River, Czech Republic). Biologia, 67, 180–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pešek, J., & Sivek, M. (2016). Coal-bearing basins and coal deposits of the Czech Republic. Prague: Czech Geology Survey http://unicat.nalis.bg/Record/BAS.000521302#description.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pešek, J., Bencko, V., Sýkorová, I., Vašíček, M., Michna, O., & Martinek, K. (2005). Some trace elements in coal of the Czech Republic, environment and health protection implications. Central European Journal of Public Health, 13, 153–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pribylova, P., Klanova, J., & Holoubek, I. (2006). Contamination of the Czech aquatic environment by short and medium chain chlorinated paraffin’s. Environmental Pollution, 144(1), 248–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2005.12.020.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rieder, M., Crelling, J. C., Sustai, O., Drábek, M., Weiss, Z., & Klementová, M. (2007). Arsenic in iron disulfides in a brown coal from the North Bohemian Basin, Czech Republic. International Journal of Coal Geology, 71, 115–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2006.07.003.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rieuwerts, J., & Farago, M. (1996). Heavy metal pollution in the vicinity of a secondary lead smelter in the Czech Republic. Applied Geochemistry, 11, 17–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/0883-2927(95)00050-X.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakan, S., Dević, G., Relić, D., Anđelković, I., Sakan, N., & Đorđević, D. (2014). Evaluation of sediment contamination with heavy metals: the importance of determining appropriate background content and suitable element for normalization. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 67, 97–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9633-4.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, S., Buchmeier, G., Claus, E., Duester, L., Heininger, P., Körner, P., Mayer, P., Paschke, A., Rauert, C., Reifferscheid, G., Rüdel, H., Schlechtriem, C., Schröter-Kermani, C., Schudoma, D., Smedes, F., Steffen, D., & Vietoris, F. (2015). Bioaccumulation in aquatic systems: methodological approaches, monitoring and assessment. Environmental Sciences Europe, 27, 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-014-0036-z.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sindern, S., Tremöhlen, M., Dsikowitzky, L., Gronen, L., Schwarzbauer, J., Siregar, T. H., Ariyani, F., & Irianto, H. E. (2016). Heavy metals in river and coast sediments of the Jakarta Bay region (Indonesia)—Geogenic versus anthropogenic sources. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 110(2, 30 September 2016), 624–633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.003.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, M., Müller, G., & Singh, I. B. (2003). Geogenic distribution and baseline concentration of heavy metals in sediments of the Ganges River, India. Journal of Geochemical Exploration., 80(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0375-6742(03)00016-5.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vilímek, V., & Raška, P. (2016). The Krušné Hory Mts.—The longest mountain range of the Czech Republic. In T. Pánek & J. Hradecký (Eds.), Landscapes and landforms of the Czech Republic. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27537-6_10.

  • Voroš, D., Geršlová, E., Díaz-Somono, M., Sýkorová, I., Suárez-Ruizi, I., Havelcová, M., & Kuta, J. (2018). Distribution and mobility potential of trace elements in the main seam of the Most Coal Basin. International Journal of Coal Geology, 196, 139–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vuković, D., Stankovič, S. J., Vukovič, Ž., & Jakkovič, K. (2014). Transport and storage of heavy metals in the Sava River Basin in Serbia. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society, 79(3), 379–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The present paper was supported by the Ministry for the Environment of the Czech Republic, project ID: MZP-OOHPP-87/08/GP and the project entitled Centre for Texture Analysis (project ID: CZ.2.16/3.1.00/21538) implemented as part of the Operational Programme Prague - Competitiveness. The present paper was also financially supported by RECETOX (LM2015051 and CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001761) and CzechPolar2 (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001708) research infrastructures and contributes to Masaryk University Project MUNI/A/1251/2017 and the long-term conceptual development research organisation RVO: 67985891.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics of the CAS, Department of Geochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic

    Dominik Vöröš

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

    Eva Geršlová

  3. Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

    Daniel Nývlt

  4. Czech Geological Survey, Brno, Czech Republic

    Daniel Nývlt

  5. Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Engineering (FA), Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

    Milan Geršl

  6. Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

    Jan Kuta

Authors
  1. Dominik Vöröš
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eva Geršlová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel Nývlt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Milan Geršl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jan Kuta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eva Geršlová.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vöröš, D., Geršlová, E., Nývlt, D. et al. Assessment of geogenic input into Bilina stream sediments (Czech Republic). Environ Monit Assess 191, 114 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7255-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7255-0

Keywords

  • Origin of geogenic elements
  • Enrichment factor
  • Stream sediments
  • River Bílina
  • Czech Republic