Heavy metals in sediments of water bodies in the Służew stream catchment (Warsaw area)

Abstract

The Służew Stream, a 14.9 km long watercourse, is part of an ancient river called Sadurka that starts its course in the Warsaw district of Ochota and flows into the Wilanów Lake. In the 19 th and 20 th centuries, the watercourse received industrial and municipal sewage from Warsaw and its environs, but nowadays only rain and snow meltwater is discharged into the stream. Freshwater sediments of five reservoirs in the catchment area of the Służew Stream-Wilanów Lake, Powsinów Lake, Pond in the Horse Racing area, Lake at Morgi and South Pond in the Wilanów Parkwere analysed for the contents of Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd and Hg. The following concentrations have been determined: chromiumfrom 5 to 274 mg/kg, copper-from 5 to 274 mg/kg, lead-from 3 to 310 mg/kg, zinc-from 44 to 1430 mg/kg, nickel-from 3 to 55 mg/kg, cadmium-from 0.3 to 37.3 mg/kg and mercury-from 0.010 to 0.810 mg/kg (Fig. 2-5). The studies have shown that water sediments of Pond in the Horse Racing area, South Pond and Wilanów Lake, supplied by the Służew Stream waters, are characterised by a very high content of heavy metals. In contrast, water sediments of Powsinów Lake and Lake at Morgi, recharged by drainage ditches flowing into the stream, are characterised by much lower concentrations of these elements, but the levels are still much greater than the geochemical background.

Toxicity and chemical analyses of airport runoff waters in Poland

“…Heavy metals from these sources can be dispersed into the environment and pollute water, soil and air or get directly or through the plants into animal and human organisms. 62 While analyzing available measurement data, surprising differences in the analyte contents determined in the samples collected from the airports which signicantly differ in their capacities of passenger movement, can be observed. The airports with high capacities of passenger movement do not always emit considerable amounts of pollutants because in most cases huge international airports have larger budgets to create a reliable infrastructure management system (own waste water pre-treatment and treatment plants, the system of waste re-circulation, ecological detergents and de-icing agents etc.)…”

A simplified method for determining potential heavy metal leached from sediments of stormwater and combined sewer systems – importance for public health

“…Bojakowska et al ( 2012) [42] conducted an assessment of sediments at selected sites in Warsaw. Among the heavy metals tested, the highest concentrations were recorded for zinc -in the range of 44 -458 mgZn/kg.…”

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Vistula river (Poland) sediments by using magnetic methods

“…The Wilanówka stream reservoir is supplied by the waters of Służew Stream and Wilanów Lake into which wastewater is discharged, especially from the Służew industrial area in the past and from the airport at present. Currently, the water sediments of the Służew Stream are still enriched with heavy metals such as Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd, and Hg as their concentrations exceed the values of the geochemical background (Bojakowska et al 2014). The sediments of Wilanówka may act as a potential source of secondary pollution of the water and sediments of the Vistula river, e.g., by remobilization of heavy metals due to the active fluvial processes and changes in geochemical conditions.…”