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Assessment of potential sediment contamination using screening methods (XRF, TGA/MS) taking into account principles of green chemistry, Eastern Slovakia

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Abstract

Mining and milling of metal ores coupled with industries have bequeathed many countries the legacy of wide distribution of metal contaminants in sediments. The aim of this study was to assess potential sediment contamination via useful screening methods (XRF, CHNS, TGA/MS). The sediments were collected from the water reservoir Krompachy Eastern Slovakia in April 2015. Within the frame of evaluation it was found that the concentrations of the study elements (Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd) exceeded some of the MPC, TV and IV values. Sample c was the most polluted by metals, which evident according to it’s the highest CHNS proportion as well as the highest clay and silt proportion. In the samples studied the best correlation was confirmed between weight losses in the temperature range (400–620 °C) and the following metal concentrations: Cu (r = 0.89), Zn (r = 0.88), As (r = 0.93), Hg (r = 0.83), Pb (r = 0.87). The greatest proportions of m/z 44, m/z 18 were detected at temperatures (400–620 °C) associated with decomposition of minerals such as siderite, barite, and exothermic loss of more refractory aromatic C took also place.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Slovak Grant Agency for the VEGA Project No. 2/0079/16.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Hygiene in Mining, Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 45, 040 01, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    Lenka Findoráková & Oľga Šestinová

  2. Department of Physical and Physico-Chemical Mineral Processing Methods, Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 45, 040 01, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    Milota Kováčová

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  1. Lenka Findoráková
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  2. Oľga Šestinová
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  3. Milota Kováčová
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Correspondence to Lenka Findoráková.

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Findoráková, L., Šestinová, O. & Kováčová, M. Assessment of potential sediment contamination using screening methods (XRF, TGA/MS) taking into account principles of green chemistry, Eastern Slovakia. Environ Earth Sci 76, 119 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6433-z

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