Contamination of the Alluvium of the Nitra River in Slovakia by Cadmium, Mercury and Lead as a Result of Previous Intense Industrial Activity

Abstract

The Nitra river is one of the most polluted rivers in the Slovak Republic. The aim of the study was to estimate the risk of Cd, Pb and Hg contamination of riverside sediments and alluvial soil in the vicinity of the Nitra river. The pseudototal Cd (all Cd forms except for residual fraction) and total Hg contents in riverside sediments (0.74-1.88 and 0.06-5.44 mg/kg, respectively) exceeded the limits for Cd and Hg in sandy soils (0.4 and 0.15 mg/kg). In three chosen localities in the flood plain of the Nitra river the soil content of mobile Pb forms (0.10-0.32 mg/kg), the pseudototal Cd (0.25-2.52 mg/kg) and total Hg content (0.03-1.6 mg/kg) exceeded the limits for Pb, Cd and Hg in loamy soils (0.1, 0.7 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively). The obtained results confirmed the risk of Pb, Cd, Hg contamination caused by industrial activity in the vicinity of the Nitra river.

Keywords: Contamination; Heavy metals; Riverside sediments; Slovak Republic.