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A chemical and microbiological characterization and toxicity assessment of the Pančevo industrial complex wastewater canal sediments, Serbia

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Abstract

The wastewater canal Vojlovica of the Pančevo industrial area, Serbia, is the main collector of the effluents from the local industrial complex. The canal is directly connected to the Europe’s second largest river, the Danube. Here, we present a chemical and microbiological analysis of the sediment in order to determine the fate of pollutants over the years, as well as its current condition. Dry matter, clay and organic matter content, a Kjeldahl ammonia, phosphorus, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations were measured. Microbiological analysis included heterotrophic and oil-degrading bacterial counts, isolation of the phenanthrene-degrading bacteria, and identification of cyanobacteria. Generally, in comparison to the results from previous studies, concentrations of the measured pollutants have been in a decline. Specifically, the metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were reduced whereas microbial counts and toxicity tests did not indicate significant pollution. The obtained results are probably a consequence of an improved wastewater treatment and microbial degradation of pollutants.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financed by the Projects III43005 and TR37004 of the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Education and Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia

    Dragana I. Čučak, Jelena M. Spasojević, Snežana P. Maletić, Srđan D. Rončević & Božo D. Dalmacija

  2. Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia

    Olivera B. Babić, Jelica B. Simeunović, Ivica Tamaš & Dragan V. Radnović

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  1. Dragana I. Čučak
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  2. Jelena M. Spasojević
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  3. Olivera B. Babić
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  4. Snežana P. Maletić
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  5. Jelica B. Simeunović
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  6. Srđan D. Rončević
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  7. Božo D. Dalmacija
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  8. Ivica Tamaš
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  9. Dragan V. Radnović
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Correspondence to Dragana I. Čučak.

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Čučak, D.I., Spasojević, J.M., Babić, O.B. et al. A chemical and microbiological characterization and toxicity assessment of the Pančevo industrial complex wastewater canal sediments, Serbia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 8458–8468 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8513-8

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