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The first example of multi-elemental analysis of water samples from urban monumental fountains—a case study from Zagreb (Croatia)

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Abstract

Water fountains are usually present in the urban public places and often draw the attention of citizens and tourists. Their water is often, in various ways, used by adults and children, but water from fountains is not usually a subject of researchers’ interest. This paper describes the analytical procedure and the results of the multi-elemental characterisation of the waters from the selected public water fountains in the city of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia. Twenty-eight chemical elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Se, Sr, Ti, Tl, V, Zn and Ca, K, Mg and Na) were quantified by means of ICP-AES technique. In addition to the multi-elemental analysis, determination of pH values was performed too. Pearson’s correlation coefficients suggest that Al, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb originate from the plumbing system and their leaching is strongly negatively correlated with the pH values of the tested samples. On the other hand, alkali and alkaline-earth metals as well as Mo, Ti, Zn and B, P and S are most probably of a natural origin in the water samples tested in this study. The results lead to the conclusions that (i) trace and major element content in squirt of a monumental water fountain is analogous to their content in water of the same origin and (ii) a pool of a fountain which is made of a high-quality stone, in the context of the herein performed testings, generally does not affect the quality of water which is contained in it.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Mrs. Biserka Petošić from the City Office for Agriculture and Forestry and the Mayor of Zagreb Mr. Milan Bandić.

Funding

The functioning of the Laboratory for Ecology and Pedology at Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, where this research has been conducted, was partially financially supported by the Zagreb Municipal Administration.

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Author notes

  1. Petar Šutalo

    Present address: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva ulica 6, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 23, HR-10002, Zagreb, Croatia

    Vibor Roje, Jovan Dukić & Petar Šutalo

Authors
  1. Vibor Roje
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  2. Jovan Dukić
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  3. Petar Šutalo
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Correspondence to Vibor Roje.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Roje, V., Dukić, J. & Šutalo, P. The first example of multi-elemental analysis of water samples from urban monumental fountains—a case study from Zagreb (Croatia) . Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 2635–2648 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3809-x

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