Long‐term environmental risks for soils, groundwaters and sediments in the danube catchment area: The danube chemical time bombs project

Abstract

AbstractThe accumulation of pollutants in soils, sediments and groundwaters due to natural causes or as a consequence of human activities is a serious problem in the Danube region. the sudden release of the (temporarily) immobilized pollutants as a consequence of various soil degradation processes (acidification, salinization or alkalinization, The destruction of the soil structure and clay minerals, a decrease in the organic matter content and the buffering capacity) is even more harmful. This chemical time bomb phenomena significantly influences the present and future land and water use in the whole Danube catchment area and therefore has great practical significance. the aim of this project, as the first phase of an integrated environmental master plan, is to identify the problems, to delineate problem areas, to analyse the natural system (present status, vulnerability, future risks) and to develop the scientific tools and infrastructure for long‐term environmental risk assessment, which will be the scientific basis for the plan of action to prevent, eliminate or, at least, reduce the harmful side‐effects and the unfavourable ecological and economic consequences of the chemical time bomb in the Danube catchment area.