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Biomonitoring of Water Pollution with Elodea Canadensis. A Case Study of Three Small Polish Rivers with Different Levels of Pollution

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Abstract

Concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn,N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and S were measured in water, river bottomsediments and in Elodea canadensis sampled in threerivers from the Odra catchment (Rów Polski, Kanal Polski andRów Śląski). E. canadensis was used to evaluate the spatial distribution of elements in the examined rivers, and contained elevated levels of the metals Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn, originating from municipal sewage. Significant correlations between concentrations of Al, Cr and Cu in river bottom sediments and plants prove the potential of E. canadensis species for pollution monitoring, especially for these metals in the examined rivers.

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Correspondence to A. Samecka-Cymerman.

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Samecka-Cymerman, A., Kempers, A.J. Biomonitoring of Water Pollution with Elodea Canadensis. A Case Study of Three Small Polish Rivers with Different Levels of Pollution. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 145, 139–153 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023632229312

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