engleski

Multidisciplinary Work on Barium Contamination of Karstic Upper Kupa River Drainage Basin (Croatia and Slovenia), Calling for Watershed Management

Present work is a continuation of barium anomaly observed and described in stream sediments of Kupica and Kupa rivers by Frančišković-Bilinski (2005). Western part of the basin is a significant water resource for Croatia and a part of Slovenia, besides being a region of tourism, sport and fishing. The contamination source is situated at 729 m above sea level in Homer (Lokve), Croatia. Barite was mined, separated by sieving and after the production was stopped 10 years ago, waste material (<3 mm) was carelessly disposed into the environment. The objective of this work is to describe the waste material by different techniques (XRD, XRF, Mössbauer) ; to find the reasons why contamination was spread in the environment ; to give brief description of health problems of local population ; to stimulate further multidisciplinary research and to call for possible watershed management. Waste material (<3 mm) was disposed in gardens and in an abyss, which has underground link with Kupica River (at about 200 m above sea level), used as a source of drinking water for town Delnice. All analyses were performed on fraction <63 &#956; m, as used in sediment analysis. XRD analysis of waste material identified quartz and barite as major minerals, dolomite and muscovite containing Fe as minor minerals and goethite as trace mineral. XRF analysis has shown that Ba and Fe are predominant elements, that Ca and K are minor elements and that Mn, Zn, Sr, Pb, Co, Cu, As, Zr, Rb, Y and Mo are trace elements. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used for characterization of poorly crystalline iron minerals. Spectrum was described with two doublets including two different iron environments. Besides Ba waste, sediments were taken in several tributaries of Kupica and Kupa rivers at about 200 m above sea level. The work is in progress. Although it can not yet be claimed to be proven, and needs further research, consumption of food and water and also inhalation of ambient air contaminated with Ba could contribute to health problems of local inhabitants. From 1000 of them about 20% have serious diagnoses, shown here with international symbols: There are 92 cases of i42 ; 20 cases of E11 ; 8 cases of J45 and 18 cases of different cancer deseases: C18 (4), C50 (4), C02 (2), C43.5 (2), C32 (1), C72.0 (1), C82 (1), C96.7 (1), C44.5 (1) and C44 (1). It is significant that from 2003-2005 there are 12 new reported cases and 4 of them already died. We are calling further studies of health problems for quick bioremediation of contaminated gardens and for possible watershed management of vulnerable aquifers.

barium contamination; barite waste characterization; karstic aquifers; health problems; Gorski Kotar; Croatia; Slovenia

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