Geochemical maps of trace elements in moss around Tikveš Lake near Kavadarci, Republic of Macedonia

In this paper the geochemical maps of distribution of elements Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Sr, Mo, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, U in the moss from the sort Campothecium lutescens near the brake of the Tikveš Lake are presented,. The close surrounding of the factory for production of ferronickel to the researched area as well as the direction of the air masses, contribute to higher concentrations of the elements NI, Fe, Co, Cr, Pb, Zn, As which define this area as a hot spot in terms of the air quality

Evidence and mineralogical and physico-chemical properties of chernozem and chernozem-like soils in Croatia

The aim was to determine possible local differences between the parent materials of recent leoss-derived soils in eastern Croatia (Dalj, Zmajevac). Furthermore, it highlights the existence of chernozem and chernozem-like soils in Croatia and describes their basic physical, chemical and mineral properties. For this purpose, two soil profiles (P-3 and P-6) south of the Dalj settlement and one soil profile (P-10) near the Zmajevac settlement were excavated. The investigation included a detailed pedological analysis, a modal analysis of the heavy and light mineral fraction and a mineralogical analysis of bulk samples (the < 2 mm fraction) and the fraction < 2 μm. By comparing the obtained results with the criteria of the Croatian Soil Classification and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources, the soil profiles P-3 and P-6 can be defined as Chernozem on Loess or Hortic Calcic chernozem (Epiloamic, Endosiltic, Aric, Humic). The systematic unit for profile P-10 was defined as Rendzina according to the Croatian Soil Classification or Calcic Chernozem (Siltic) according to the WRB. Based on the results of the pedological analysis of the soil profile horizons, a gradual degradation of the chernozem was observed as a result of anthropogenic influence, but also due to recent climate change. The degradation is particularly evident in the form of a reduction in organic matter and the relocation of carbonates from the surface to deeper zones. Due to the increasing degree of weathering caused by recent climate changes, some differences in the mineralogical composition of the studied soils were also observed. The progressive degradation of the chernozem due to the effects of recent weathering processes is indicated mainly by the presence of goethite in the fraction < 2 μm as a weathering product of iron minerals (magnetite, pyroxenes…). Although the parent material of all three profiles is loess sediments, the reason why the soil material of profile P-10 has not developed a chernic horizon is the constant contribution of aeolian material and a short period of exposure to pedogenetic processes

Hydrochemical data for the ground waters in the Bitola’s part of the Pelagonia valley, Republic of Macedonia

For determination of some hydrochemical data in the ground waters of the Bitola part of thePelagonia valley, are taken single samples from 19 wells. Specified values for pH indicate that the waters belong tothe group of slightly alkaline ground water (pH = 7.2 – 8.9). Following to the classification of Alekin the majority oftested water according the content of the anion fall into hydrocarbonate class, calcite group and a smaller number inthe chloride and sulfate class, sodium and magnesium group. Increased values of TDS, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3-,Cl– and NH4+ occurs in the ground water from deeper artesian and subartesian wells, as a result of the longer retentiontime of water in the underground and its interaction with the geological environment. Ground water from the shallowwells occurs the increasing content of PO43– and NO3– which indicates water pollution from fertilization of the cultivatedareas, livestock farms as well as communal waste water. Knowing the hydrochemical feature of the ground waterfrom the research area is from particular importance, because the water from these wells 5s used by the inhabitantsof the region as industrial water, water for irrigation, packaging of mineral water and the exploitation of CO2

Comparison of urban and rural soils based on speciation of heavy metals by BCR sequential extraction procedure: A case study in the historical and industrial city of Sisak, Croatia

Within the framework of the pan-European project “URban GEochemistry (URGE) in Europe – Soil, children, health”, pedological and geochemical investigations of the soils of the city of Sisak and its adjacent surroundings were carried out, and three urban and two rural soil profiles were examined. The mineralogical composition and concentration of selected potentially toxic elements (PTEs) Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the soil were determined. The Community Reference Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction procedure (SEP) of these PTEs was undertaken and the potential risk to human health and the environment was assessed. The concentrations of Cr and Ni are generally similar in urban and rural soil profiles, while the concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn in soil horizons/layers are higher in urban profiles. The extracted fractions of PTEs gave the following general distribution: in urban soil profiles residual (RES) > reducible (ORG) or oxidisable (FEMN) > exchangeable (CARB), except for Cu where ORG > RES > FEMN > CARB, while in rural soil profiles RES > FEMN or ORG > CARB, except for Pb where FEMN > RES or ORG > CARB. The differences between soils in urban and rural profiles depend mainly on the historical land use, i.e. on the duration and intensity of anthropogenic influences on the soil and, to a lesser extent, on the geogenic origin of the parent material and the pedogenic processes. The studied elements in the urban soil profiles are predominantly of anthropogenic origin, indicating a possible influence of the ancient settlements of Segestica and Siscia and of heavy industry in the 20th century. The anthropogenic influences on the rural profiles are low and geogenic influences dominate. Risks to the environment were assessed in the soil profiles based on PTE concentrations in the CARB fraction and the sum of the CARB, ORG and FEMN fractions from BCR SEP. All calculated risks to human health and the environment were rated as no-risk, very low risk and low risk

Factor analysis applied to distinguish influences of parent material, mining industry and agriculture on the groundwater in the Strumica valley, Macedonia

Determination of the groundwater chemistry in Strumica valley was essential since the widespread use of it in the irrigation of agricultural production.  For this purpose were collected 224 water samples from boreholes. The groundwater chemical composition was determinated on the selected analytes: As, Sr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ba, Pb, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Li, Cr, Fe, U, CaCO3, Cl-, NO3-, NH4+, SO42- and PO43-. The source and internal correlations of the analytes were set out by performing multivariate statistical analyses (factor analyses). Factor analyses yielded 7 factors and the geochemical maps of the obtained factors were generated using kriging method. The groundwater chemistry was predominantly controlled by geologic background and some anthropogenic influence due to agriculture and mining to the concentrations and spatial distribution of arsenic, phosphates, sulphates, nitrates and some metals (copper, iron, chromium, lead, nickel, zinc). Mining of copper/gold (molybdenum) in area of Ilovica increased concentration of analytes Al, Cu, Pb, Cr, NO3-, Ni, Zn, Na, K, Li and PO43-  in groundwater but only at a local level.</p

PEDOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCATIONS INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT OF GEOCHEMICHAL MAPPING OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS AND GRAZING LAND SOILS IN CROATIA

Pan-Europski projekt geokemijskog kartiranja poljoprivrednih tala i pašnjaka – GEMAS (GEochemical Mapping of Agricultural Soils and grazing land soils), pokrenut je 2007. godine uz sudjelovanje 35 europskih Geoloških službi, a pod vodstvom EuroGeoSurveys-Geochemistry Expert Group (EGS). U R. Hrvatskoj je u izvedbi projekta kao nositelj sudjelovao Hrvatski geološki institut - Hrvatska geološka služba (HGI-CGS), kao stalna članica EGS-a, te kao suradnik Zavod za pedologiju Agronomskog fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, uz financijsku potporu Ministarstva znanosti, obrazovanja i športa. Svrha ovog rada je prikazati pedološke, geološke i geokemijske značajke tla lokacija uključenih u GEMAS projekt. Metodologija terenskog rada definirana je usuglašenim uputama EuroGeoSurveys Geokemijske ekspertne grupe. Uzorkovanje je provedeno po unaprijed definiranoj pravilnoj kvadratnoj mreži 50x50km2 sa slobodom izbora lokacije uzorkovanja unutar kvadrata. Na teritoriju R. Hrvatske uzeto je 58 kompozitnih uzoraka od čega 29 na oraničnim površinama, a 29 na trajnim travnatim površinama. Dubina uzorkovanja za poljoprivredno tlo bila je 0-20 cm, a za travnate površine 0-10 cm. Radi utvrđivanja sistematske pripadnosti tala dodatno su uzimani uzorci iz pedoloških profila (8 lokacija) i iz sondažnih bušotina. Kemijske analize svih uzoraka s projekta napravljene su u ACME Analytical Laboratories, Vancouver (Kanada). Analizirana frakcija bila je <2 mm, a uzorci su pripremani u zlatotopci. Analitičke tehnike bile su ICP-AES i ICP-MS. Pedološka analiza uzoraka napravljena je prema standardnim metodama, odnosno odgovarajućim HRN ISO normama u laboratoriju Zavoda za pedologiju na Agronomskom fakultetu u Zagrebu, gdje su utvrđena osnovna fizikalna i kemijska svojstva tla. Podloga većine uzetih uzoraka izgrađena je od karbonatnih stijena jure, krede i paleogena, dok su tercijarne i kvartarne klastične naslage druge po zastupljenosti. Srednja koncentracija 10 potencijalno toksičnih elemenata (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb i Zn) veća je u tlima na travnatim površinama za razliku od poljoprivrednih tala. Poljoprivredna tla pokazuju veće koncentracije makroelemenata K, Ca, Mg i P. Na 8 reprezentativnih lokacija otvoreni su pedološki profili i analizom je utvrđeno da se na tim lokacijama javlja 6 tipova tla od kojih tri tipa pripadaju odjelu automorfnih, a tri odjelu hidromorfnih tala. Na preostalim lokacijama utvrđeno je 13 tipova tala, odnosno veći broj njihovih nižih jedinica. Od toga, 9 tipova tala pripada odjelu automorfnih tala, a četiri tipa tla odjelu hidromorfnih tala.Pan-European project of “Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural Soils and Grazing Lands“ (GEMAS) was launched in 2007., with the participation of 35 European Geological Surveys, and under the leadership of EuroGeoSurveys - Geochemistry Expert Group (EGS_GEG). The project in the Republic of Croatia was carried out by the Croatian Geological Survey (HGI-CGS) and the Department of Soil Science at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb with the financial support from the Ministry of science, education and sports. The purpose of this study was to present the pedological, geological and geochemical characteristics of soils from the locations included in the GEMAS project. The methodology of field work is defined by the agreed guidelines of the EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry expert group. Sampling was conducted at a pre-defined regular square network 50x50 km2, with freedom of choosing sampling locations within the square. On the territory of the Republic of Croatia, 58 composite samples were taken, 29 of which on arable land, and 29 on permanent grassland. The depth of sampling for agricultural soil was 0-20 cm, and for the grassland soil 0-10 cm. In order to determine the systematic affiliation of soils, further samples were taken from soil profiles (8 sites) and from auger holes. Chemical analysis of samples was done in the ACME Analytical Laboratories, Vancouver (Canada). Analysed fraction was <2 mm, and samples were prepared in aqua regia. Analytical techniques were ICP-AES and ICP-MS. Soil analysis of samples was made according to the standard methods and relevant HRN ISO standards in the laboratory of the Soil Science Department at the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb, where the basic physical and chemical soil properties were determined. The parent material for soil of most samples is built of carbonate rocks from Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene, while the Tertiary and Quaternary clastic sediments are second in abundance. The mean concentration of 10 potentially toxic trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn) was higher in soils on grassland, as opposed to agricultural soils. Agricultural soils showed higher concentrations of major elements K, Ca, Mg and P. In 8 representative locations soil profiles were opened, and the analysis showed that 6 soil types occur at these locations, three of which belong to the automorphic soil division, and three to the hydromorphic soil division. At the remaining sites, 13 soil types were found, including many of their lower units. Nine of these soil types belong to the automorphic division, and four to the hydromorphic division

Characteristics and Classification of Three Urban Soils in the Sisak City, Croatia

Many soil classification systems (including Croatian Soil Classification - CSC) do not treat urban (technogenic) soils adequately. Moreover, in different parts the world, different names for similar urban soils are often used. All this hampers effective management of these increasingly important soils. The main aim was to classify three typical Sisak City soils according to CSC and international WRB system. Additional aim was to assess soil contamination by heavy metals. In two soil profiles pedogenetic A horizon was formed. Hence, according to CSC, we classified these soils as Rendzinas and not Technogenic soils. Given that CSC does not include a subtype of Rendzina on deposited land material, it was proposed. In one profile, topsoil organic matter accumulated mainly due to human activity, so it was classified according to CSC as a Deposol on land material. Since CSC offers no criteria for further systematization of Deposols, we proposed some. According to WRB, two soils were systemized as Technosols, but one was not. Namely, since one soil did not contain enough artefacts to qualify as a Technosol, it was classified as a complex (buried) soil (Regosol over Retisol). However, qualifier Relocatic could be used to indicate dominant human influence on this profile. Compared with CSC, WRB was more suitable for classifying these soils. Accordingly, CSC should be updated. According to the reference threshold for parks and recreational areas, heavy metals contents were below maximum allowed values in each soil. However, contents of some metals were over the threshold for agricultural soils

Factors affecting indoor radon variations: A case study in schools of eastern macedonia

The subject of this study is the radon concentrations variations, measured with a nuclear track detectors in a total of 58 premises in all 29 primary schools of 4 municipalities in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Despite a relatively small territory, the variability of radon concentrations proved to be significant. The geometric means (geometric standard deviations) of radon concentrations in the examined municipalities were in the range from GM = 71 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.08) to GM = 162 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.69), while for the entire region it was: GM = 96 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.47). The influence of the geographical and geological features of the school site as well as the building characteristics on the radon variations were investigated. The analysis showed that type of municipality, building materials, basement and geology have significant effects and respectively describe 6%, 16%, 22%, 39% of the radon total variability

Factors affecting indoor radon variations: A case study in schools of eastern macedonia

The subject of this study is the radon concentrations variations, measured with a nuclear track detectors in a total of 58 premises in all 29 primary schools of 4 municipalities in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Despite a relatively small territory, the variability of radon concentrations proved to be significant. The geometric means (geometric standard deviations) of radon concentrations in the examined municipalities were in the range from GM = 71 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.08) to GM = 162 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.69), while for the entire region it was: GM = 96 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.47). The influence of the geographical and geological features of the school site as well as the building characteristics on the radon variations were investigated. The analysis showed that type of municipality, building materials, basement and geology have significant effects and respectively describe 6%, 16%, 22%, 39% of the radon total variability

Ružička days : International conference 16th Ružička Days “Today Science – Tomorrow Industry” : Proceedings

Proceedings contains articles presented at Conference divided into sections: open lecture (1), chemical analysis and synthesis (3), chemical and biochemical engineering (8), food technology and biotechnology (8), medical chemistry and pharmacy (3), environmental protection (11) and meeting of young chemists (2)