engleski

Assessment of anthropogenic impacts on the Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, using specific organic contaminants in recent sediments

Dated recent sediments (0-30 cm) from the pristine karst lakes situated in the Plitvice National Park, Croatia, were analysed for different organic compounds using HRGC/MS and LC/MS/MS techniques in order to determine the possible impact of anthropogenic activities on that protected ecosystem. The selected chemical marker-compounds encompassed various types of hydrocarbons and two major types of surfactants. The profiles of pyrolytic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons suggested a decreasing trend since the area was proclaimed a National Park in mid 1960s. In contrast, the concentration of detergent-derived xenobiotic chemicals, especially linear alkylbenzene sulphonates, reached rather high values in recent sediments, reflecting, very probably, a significant input of untreated wastewaters from the hotels situated near the shoreline of the Plitvice Lakes. The profile of the phytoplankton marker, n-heptadecane, revealed an accelerated eutrophication in the most recent sediments, suggesting a possible link to detergent-derived phosphate inputs.

Plitvice Lakes; Organic Contaminants; HRGC/MS; LC/MS/MS

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