Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Vistula river (Poland) sediments by using magnetic methods

Piotr Kwapuliński,Jakub Karasiński,Piotr Szwarczewski,Sylwia Dytłow,Iga Szczepaniak-Wnuk,Beata Górka-Kostrubiec

doi:10.1007/s11356-020-08608-4

Abstract

The present study evaluated the level of heavy metal (HM) pollution in Vistula river sediments in a highly urbanized Warsaw agglomeration (Poland). Magnetometry was used to assess the pollution level by measuring the fine fractions (0.071 mm and < 0.071 mm) of sediments collected from the surface layer of the riverbank. The magnetic methods (e.g., mass magnetic susceptibility χ, temperature-dependence magnetic susceptibility, and hysteresis loop parameters) were supplemented by microscopy observations and chemical element analyses. The results showed the local impact of Warsaw’s activity on the level of HM pollution, indicated by the maximum concentrations of magnetic particles and HM in the city center. The sediment fraction < 0.071 mm was dominated by magnetite and by a large amount of spherical-shaped anthropogenic magnetic particles. The pollution from the center of Warsaw was transported down-river over a relatively short distance of approximately 11 km. There was a gradual decrease in the concentrations of magnetic particles and HM in areas located to the north of the city center (down-river); furthermore, χ and concentrations of HM did not decrease to the values observed for the area to the south of Warsaw (up-river). The study showed two possible sources of sediment pollution: traffic-related and heat and power plant emissions. The influence of an additional source of pollution cannot be excluded as the amount of spherules in the sediments at the center was extremely high. The present study demonstrates that magnetometry has a practical application in detecting and mapping HM pollution in river systems.

Highlights

Aquatic systems are one of the collectors of different pollutants, heavy metals, which are likely to accumulate in water suspensions and the top layer of sediments
The χav is calculated as the sum of the volume magnetic susceptibility of all samples collected from individual areas divided by the sum of the sample masses
Our research is focused on the assessment of heavy metal pollution levels of the Vistula River sediments and the indication of urban activities affecting this pollution level

Summary

Introduction

Aquatic systems are one of the collectors of different pollutants, heavy metals, which are likely to accumulate in water suspensions and the top layer of sediments. The magnetic method (magnetometry) is one of the most effective tools for detecting and monitoring aquatic systems by measuring sediment properties. This method has been used in the study of the pollution levels of streams, rivers, lakes, and estuary sediments (Chan et al 1997; Desenfant et al 2004; Georgeaud et al 1997; Horng et al 2009; Hu et al 2003; Li et al 2011; Prajith et al 2015; Scholger 1998; Wang et al 2018). The first parameter measured for assessing the pollution level is magnetic susceptibility (χ). Magnetic susceptibility of river sediments is used for mapping areas exposed to industrial emissions from places such as coal-burning power plants, lead

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Discussion

Conclusion