{"id":27675,"date":"2022-08-08T19:52:48","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T18:52:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/2022\/08\/atmosfericka-depozice-jako-mozny-zdroj-znecisteni-povrchovych-vod-predbezne-vysledky-projektu-cast-1-tezke-kovy\/"},"modified":"2024-07-23T18:10:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T17:10:57","slug":"atmosfericka-depozice-jako-mozny-zdroj-znecisteni-povrchovych-vod-predbezne-vysledky-projektu-cast-1-tezke-kovy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/2022\/08\/atmosfericka-depozice-jako-mozny-zdroj-znecisteni-povrchovych-vod-predbezne-vysledky-projektu-cast-1-tezke-kovy\/","title":{"rendered":"Atmospheric deposition as a possible source of surface water pollution (Preliminary results of the project, part 1 \u2013 heavy metals)"},"content":{"rendered":"

SUMMARY<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Concentrations of selected heavy metals in collected atmospheric precipitation and surface water were monitored at pilot sites in the Jizera Mountains, Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains, and Bohemian-Moravian Uplands (Czechia) over the course of one year to determine the significance of\u00a0the\u00a0impact of precipitation on surface water quality in an otherwise relatively low anthropogenically influenced environment. The measurements show that, for some metals, atmospheric deposition in heavily loaded areas can cause significant inputs to surface water. The resulting balance of substance load is\u00a0strongly influenced by the environment and its load in the past.<\/p>\n

INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Water Framework Directive (2000\/60\/EC) [1] requires EU member states to\u00a0assess the state of groundwater and surface water in regular six-year cycles. In cases of failure to achieve good chemical and\/or ecological status, it is necessary to determine the fundamental influences causing this situation and propose measures for its improvement. The assessment of the state of surface water bodies, which has been carried out in the Czech Republic since 2009 in accordance with Czech legislation in three-year cycles, repeatedly shows a high proportion of water bodies not achieving good chemical status in the case of certain priority substances according to Government Regulation No. 401\/2015 Coll., and good ecological status in the case of some specific hazardous substances [2,\u00a03]. Failure to achieve good status for some groups of substances is also recorded in water bodies where most of the potential anthropogenic influences can be excluded, and for which the possible main influence is the transfer of pollution to\u00a0the\u00a0aquatic environment from the air through atmospheric deposition. These groups mainly include heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).<\/p>\n

The TA CR project SS01010231 \u201cDopady atmosf\u00e9rick\u00e9 depozice na vodn\u00ed prost\u0159ed\u00ed se zohledn\u011bn\u00edm klimatick\u00fdch podm\u00ednek (Impacts of atmospheric deposition on\u00a0the\u00a0aquatic environment with consideration of climatic conditions)\u201d deals with this topic. The project builds on the methodology [4] which, among other things, based on available data, proposes procedures for assessing the danger for surface water bodies from the point of view of atmospheric deposition. The main problem with this part of the methodology was the unavailability of current and comprehensive data, as well as unverified procedures for their use. The aim of\u00a0the\u00a0project is to at least partially supplement these missing data and procedures.
\nPart of the project solution is the quantification of pollution in various environmental components using field monitoring in selected pilot forest catchments. The aim of\u00a0this activity is to verify the extent to which individual substances can affect the\u00a0situation in the real environment, and to identify other factors increasing the\u00a0risk of contamination entering the aquatic environment.<\/p>\n

Due to the breadth of the topic and the number of results, it was not possible to process all the findings in one contribution. This article presents the\u00a0results of the representation of selected heavy metals in the matrices of surface water and precipitation water, which were collected as throughfall and bulk deposition. Additional separate articles will deal with PAHs, a more detailed assessment of the relationships between the load of individual environmental components, and the use of biological materials as an indicator of anthropogenic influences.<\/p>\n

HEAVY METALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Due to their toxic effects, heavy metals represent a significant source of surface water pollution [5\u20137]. There are three decisive properties for determining the environmental hazard of metals: resistance, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Heavy metals that are both persistent and bioaccumulative are more dangerous because they can accumulate in organisms and be transported from one environment to another [8]. Metals that occur most often in surface water and pose a risk to the environment are in particular: mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and arsenic (As), [9, 10]. In addition to natural causes, anthropogenic activities are also responsible for their occurrence in the environment, especially the burning of fossil fuels, industrial activities (metallurgy, surface treatment of metals and enamelling), the use of paints and pigments, and agriculture [11, 12]. Through emissions, heavy metals enter the atmosphere and from the air they subsequently deposit into water and soil [13]. Metal compounds occur in the atmosphere in the form of particles that are sorbed onto aerosol particles. The amount of metals in the aerosol varies throughout the year [14]. Other factors that influence the amount of metals in the atmosphere are: meteorological conditions, site location, possibilities of long-distance transport, and amount of emissions [15]. Long-distance transport of particles can take place in the atmosphere due to air masses, therefore high levels of heavy metal pollution can be found even in places without a direct source of pollution [16, 17]. From the atmosphere, heavy metals are transported to the Earth\u2019s surface by deposition, which is driven\u00a0by gravity and can occur through two mechanisms: dry and wet deposition. Dry deposition is slower and does not depend on precipitation, while wet deposition is faster and is affected by the amount of precipitation and the rate of capture of particles on the droplet surface [18].<\/p>\n

METHODS USED<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As part of the project, substances that cause poor water quality and at\u00a0the\u00a0same time are expected to be significantly transmitted through the air were examined and evaluated. Thus, the heavy metals As, Cd, Hg, Ni, and Pb were selected. From the point of view of the categorization of substances harmful to\u00a0the\u00a0aquatic environment, it should be mentioned that As is a specific pollutant, the other metals addressed in the project are priority substances, and Cd and Hg are priority dangerous substances.<\/p>\n

To compare the presence of selected elements in different components of\u00a0the environment, sampling of the following matrices was carried out in\u00a0the\u00a0model catchments:<\/p>\n