The paper attempts to determine the degree of impact of discharged wastewater from five treatment plants on the Bug River ecosystem and its inflow, the Kamianka. For laboratory tests, samples of bottom sediments and aquatic plants were collected in 2014. The content of heavy metals: Zn, Pb, Ni in bottom sediments and aquatic plants (root, stem, leaf) growing close to the discharge of purified sewage, were analyzed. The amount of metals in the samples was determined applying the AAS method in its flame version. The average content of the metals determined in bottom sediments from the study points located before the treatment plant were Zn-21.8; Pb-11.5; Ni-13.7 mg⋅kg −1. However, the content of these metals was higher in samples from the collection points which were located after the place of purified sewage discharge and amounted to: Zn-34.3; Pb-12.2; Ni-16.9 mg⋅kg −1. The test plants were Acorus calamus L., Nuphar lutea L., Typha angustifolia L. The content of metals in the individual parts of macrophytes (root, stem, leaf) was as follows: Zn > Pb > Ni. In the bottom sediments and aquatic plants of the Bug and Kamianka rivers, a higher content of lead, zinc and nickel was found after the discharge of treated sewage in relation to their content than before discharge, but it was not a threat to the aquatic environment of the watercourses studied. Statistical analysis showed that the amount of sewage discharged to the tested receivers influenced the content of organic matter, zinc and nickel in bottom sediments.
The aim of the presented article was to determine whether human activity significantly influenced the enrichment of Cd, Co, and Cr, in river sediments and Glyceria maxima, in the basin of the Pisa River, an underdeveloped area in Poland. In this study, the content and spatial distribution of Cd, Cr, and Co in the organs underground and above ground, (sequentially: root, stem, leaf) of Glyceria maxima and bottom sediments of the Pisa River and its tributaries (Pisza Woda, Wincenta, Turośl and Skroda River) were analyzed. The Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were determined by ASA method (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry). The results showed that the average PTEs contents in the river sediments occurred in the following descending order of Cd < Co < Cr. The highest values of the Igeo, CF coefficients, i.e., the greatest impact of anthropogenic activities on the water environment of the Pisa River and its tributaries, were found especially in the case of Cd. The research on the plant material has shown that the highest content of Cr and Co occurs in the roots, then in the stems, and the least in the leaves of Glyceria maxima. However, the amounts of Cd in the examined parts of Glyceria maxima had similar values. The content of Cd, Cr, and Co in the roots and above-ground parts exceeded the physiological values. Glyceria maxima can be used as a biological indicator material. Statistical analyzes showed the movement of PTEs in the sediment-root-stem-leaf system and identified the sources of PTEs, i.e., municipal wastewater treatment plants, the local food industry, and surface runoff.
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