Ecological status of artificial accumulation Lake Vrutci, case study, Serbia

Abstract

© by PSP. At the locality of Western Serbia, in the water samples and sediment in the catchment area of the artificial accumulation Vrutci, the presence of emerging substances and heavy metal cations (Pb2+, Cd2+, As3+ and Hg2+) were examined. In the 2011 monitoring in the tributary Djetinja, in the lake accumulation Vrutci with the sampling points at the rivers flow in the Lake, Brana, Nikolici was carried out. In the 2014, monitoring of tributary Djetinja, and representative sampling points Brana, Nikolici and Omar were conducted. The obtained results, at all measuring profiles of river and lake water, showed that concentrations of hazard cations (|ig/L) of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ significantly exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations (MAC), and could cause negative impact on the environment. Concentrations of As3+ in water samples at all measured sampling points were within the MAC according to Serbian low and by-lows. The pH of the lake water was from 7.42 to 8.72, the concentration of dissolved oxygen from 3.53 mg/L to 8.82 mg/L and according to those results water lake belong to the fifth class of ecological potential. The higher concentration of Hg cation was in the lake than in the river waters sample tributaries, which indicate the high anthropogenic activities (unsanitary landfills, solid waste, etc.) as the pollution sources on the lake banks. Determined results showed that concentrations of mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead cations (mg/kg) in sediment and tributaries were significantly lower than the MAC values. Based on two years monitoring results in water sample of tributaries, mathematical regression model was developed to predict the concentrations of heavy metal cations in lake water. High level of correspondence was achieved between dendrograms and real situation in lake accumulation. In December 2013, toxic contamination with cyanobacteria was occurred and use of lake water for production of drinking water for city Uzice and surround settlements was banned. The research activities on lake water quality presented in this paper are the unique model of the Case Study for the first time performed for the ecological status of artificial lake accumulation Vrutci in Serbia.