The study presents the results of the research into different phosphorus forms in the bottom sediments of anthropogenic limnic ecosystems i.e. the reservoirs of Pławniowice, Rybnik and Goczałkowice (SP). The bottom sediments of dam reservoirs were investigated by chemical extraction procedure for phosphorus forms. The lowest value of the mean AAP form percentage in the Pławniowice bottom sediments reflected the effect of reclamation with the hypolimnetic removal that had been conducted in the reservoir since 2003. The highest percentage of the RDP form (2%) was found in the Goczałkowice bottom sediments. The order of the specific speciation forms in the bottom sediments of the examined reservoirs was:
Rybnik: AAP > EP > WDP > RDP; 4,630> 3,740 > 117 > 65 > 3.5 mgP/kg
Pławniowice: AAP > EP > WDP > RDP; 916 > 783 > 107 > 15 > 1.4 mgP/kg
Goczałkowice: AAP > WDP > EP > RDP; 686 > 628 > 51 > 7 > 0.14 mgP/kg
The mutual correlations between the phosphorus speciation forms (AAP : EP : WDP : RDP) were as follows:
Rybnik: 1,323 : 1,068 : 33 : 18 : 1;
Pławniowice: 654 : 559 : 76 : 11 : 1;
Goczałkowice: 4,900 : 4,485 : 364 : 50 : 1.
The comparison of the mean concentration values for specific phosphorus forms in the bottom sediments of the three investigated reservoirs demonstrated that the Rybnik sediments had the highest contents of phosphorus. The contents in Pławniowice and Goczałkowice were 5-7 times lower
Water and bottom sediment samples collected from a few fish-breeding ponds/reservoirs were subjected to tests. The aim of this paper was to determine the total content of aluminium and its fractions in the samples tested to estimate the potential risk to fish caused by the toxic forms of aluminium. The monomeric inorganic aluminium in waters was determined using the ion exchange and extraction-colorimetric method with oxychinoline according to Barnes's-Driscoll's procedure. The bottoms were fractionated using a three-step sequential extraction procedure and the microwave mineralisation. The total content of aluminium in waters and extracts was determined using the spectrophotometric method with eriochromocyanine R, and comparatively using the ICP OES technique. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. The level of concentration of labile Al in the waters about 26-34 μg/dm3 and content of exchangeable Al 5-34 mg/g range in bottom sediments are possibly hazardous to aquatic organisms.
The research objective was to study temporal and spatial relations between specific phosphorus species as well as to examine total phosphorus content in the bottom sediments of an anthropogenic, hypertrophic limnic ecosystem Rybnik Reservoir, functioning under thermal pollution conditions. The chemical extraction procedure for the speciation of bioavailable phosphorus forms was used. It was found that available algae phosphorus was the most dominant phosphorus species in both sediment layers (83%), while the lower share was readily desorbed phosphorus form (0.1%). The phosphorus species concentrations depended on the organic matter concentration. The differences between phosphorus species contents in the upper (5 cm) and lower (15–20 cm) sediment core layers were low. The biologically active sediment layer extended from the sediment surface to at least 20 cm depth of the sediment core. Distributions of the concentrations within the year and at specific sampling points resulted from the variability observed for particular points and transformation intensity. Furthermore in the following study, the reaction rate constant for the increase and decrease in the concentrations of the phosphorus species in sediments was given. It was indicated that the speed of the phosphorus species transformations was affected by the environment temperature. In the heated water discharge zone (water temp. 17–35°C) the concentrations of selected speciation phosphorus forms increased more than in the dam zone (5–25°C). It was also found that the abundance of the bottom sediments with phosphorus species was related to the oblong and transverse asymmetry of reservoir depth.
The object of the investigation was metal contamination of bottom sediments of the Skroda and
Chwaliszówka rivers, which are the right contributaries of the Lusatian Neisse river, draining the territory of
the so called “anthropogenic lake district”. The district came into existence as a result of mining activities in the
border of Silesia and Lusatia, which date from the half of 19th century to 1974. The district includes about 100
reservoirs, of the total area of over 150 ha, which are from about 30 to 100 years old.
The rocks accompanying the Miocene coal-bearing formations were deposited on waste dumps. The dumps
form embankments of the aquifers arising as a result of post-exploitation mining subsidence. The streams dewatering waste dumps inflow directly or indirectly to the Chwaliszówka and Skroda rivers. The pyrite is the
mineral present in mine waste material. The pyrite weathering products inflow into surface waters and affect
adversely the water quality. In the last stage of migration the pollutants are accumulated in the bottom sediments
of rivers and lakes. The samples of bottom sediments of the two rivers were analysed by means of a five-step
sequential extraction procedure performed for the partitioning of selected trace metals (Fe, Mn, As, Cr and Al).
It was determined that the bottom sediments of the two analysed rivers contain significant concentrations of
aluminium and iron. The concentrations of other metals (Mn, Cr and As) are in the range of geochemical background of water sediments in Poland. Concentrations of arsenium, chromium and manganese, which are bound
to easy-available fractions (I – exchangeable and II – bound to carbonates) are not significant, so it could be
assumed that they are not expected to be released and they do not threaten the river ecological system. There is,
however, the possibility of the aluminium and iron re-mobilisation, taking into account the high concentrations
of easy-available fractions of these metals in the sediment. Fe and Al are potential source of water contamination, and re-mobilisation of these metals will produce the aggravation of quality parameters of river waters.
The aim of the presented research was to analyse the pollution of the Kozłowa Góra Dam Reservoir
with PCBs (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Cr). The investigated water
and bottom sediments were sampled from two sampling points in November, 2009. The sampling points were
located in the southern part of the Kozłowa Góra Dam Reservoir. The samples of bottom sediments were taken
from the surface layer of 5 cm thickness. The extraction of PCBs from the bottom sediments was performed
according to the EPA 3550B standard. For the sequential extraction analysis of metals from the sampled bottom
sediments, the method suggested by Tessier was applied. Based on the obtained results the water and bottom
sediments from the Kozłowa Góra Dam Reservoir were polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls. The highest
concentration of the investigated PCB congeners in bottom sediments was determined in the sampling point
No. 1 (2.78 µg/kg d.m.), whereas in the sampling point No. 2 this level was over 20-fold lower which might
result from the inflow of these compounds with the waters of the Brynica river. In both sampling points the investigated bottom sediments were predominated by higher chlorinated PCBs with comparable contents of 86%
and 85%, respectively. The level of pollution in the investigated bottom sediments (calculated per dry matter)
with polychlorinated biphenyls did not exceed the level of TEL (< 0.02 mg/kg). The PEL value (3.5 mg/kg) was
exceeded in the case of cadmium in the bottom sediment from the sampling point No. 2 and also lead (91 mg/kg)
from both sampling points. The first two fractions with the mobile forms of metals are the most sensitive fractions to any changes of the environmental conditions in the benthic zone. In those fractions significant contents
of lead, cadmium, nickel and zinc were observed.
Several conclusions and recommendations concerning sediment trap geometry, the technique of their deployment and interpretation of measurements results are described in this paper. Only cylindrical sediment traps are able to cope with the diverse and dynamic environment of glaciated fjords. The relation between different trap parameters shows the optimal proportion of cylinder diameter as being between 6 and 10 cm and ratio length/diameter not less than 7/1. During the peak of the melting season in Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen) the rate of sedimentation of total matter reaches over 900 g m2 d1 and the velocity of brackish water current can reach 80 cm s1 on the surface. Owing to the high productivity of Arctic fiords and large concentration of suspended mineral matter it is possible to collect of large samples in a short time, therefore prevention of sediment traps by swimmers is not necessary.
Ninety eight polychaete species were found in the shallow sublittoral of Admiralty Bay. The most abundant were Leitoscoloplos kerguelensis, Tauberia gracilis, Ophelina syringopyge, Rhodine intermedia, Tharyx cincinnatus, Aricidea (Acesta) strelzovi, Apistobranchus sp., Cirrophorus brevicirratus and Microspio moorei. Mean abundance of polychaetes was estimated at 120 ind./ 0.1m2. As a result of cluster analysis several polychaete assemblages were distinguished. The highly specific assemblage with two characteristic species, Scoloplos marginatus and Travisia kerguelensis, from shallow areas with sandy bottom situated far from glaciers; a distincly specific assemblage with Apistobranchus sp. from poorly sorted sediments in the bottom areas situated on the slopes at the base of steep rubble shores; the richest and most diverse, highly specific polychaete assemblage from the central basin of the bay with Tauberia gracilis as the most characteristic species, as well as two assemblages from the bottom areas neighbouring glaciers and influenced by the intensive enrichment of very small grain-sized sediments with Ophelina cylindricaudata and Tharyx cincinnatus. Clear assemblages’ arrangement was observed along the gradient: sand, silty sand, silt towards clay silt. Other important factors, supporting the proposed classification of assemblages and their character, include the sorting coefficient of the sediment (So) as well as the slope of the bottom. The between-habitat diversity of polychaete fauna is strongly connected with the phenomena occurring in the neighbouring terrestrial coastal areas.