Arges River Research Articles

Microbial Extracellular Enzymatic Activity Unveils the Anthropic Impact on Riparian Ecosystems From Southern Romania

The anthropization processes can cause complex, often irreversible changes in natural ecosystems. Several decades ago, on the upper course of the Arges River flowing in the Southern Romania, a series of anthropic interventions took place, which resulted in several new accumulation lakes. Above the socioeconomic benefit to the local communities along the watercourse, their construction also influenced the structure and functioning of the existing ecosystems. In the present study, we have analysed the rate of the detrital organic matter decomposition processes achieved by the heterotrophic microbial communities in several ecosystems located on the upper course of the river. The obtained results revealed that the intensity of these procceses was infleunced both by the type of anthropic area the sampled ecosystems attain - rural or urban, and by the sampling time.

IMPACT OF BUCHAREST WASTEWATER ON DAMBOVITA RIVER WATER QUALITY (2010-2015)

Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is located on the banks of Dambovita River, tributary of Arges River, which, in its turn, flows into the Danube, the second longest river in Europe. Until 2011, Bucharest wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) had no advanced treatment, and since the end of 2011 the plant is able to treat half of the incoming flow. The second upgrading phase is under construction. This paper presents monitoring data of Dambovita River, upstream and downstream from Bucharest WWTP, during the period 2010-2015. Annual means of main nutrients concentrations show that water quality was mostly in the first class before the WWTP, according to Romanian norms, and in the worst class downstream from the WWTP, particularly for ammonium and total phosphorus, which are indicators of sewerage pollution. Pollution is attenuated by dilution after confluence with the Arges River. Principal Component Analysis and factor analysis of monitoring data show the differences between sampling locations and strong positive correlations between ammonium, orthophosphates and total phosphorus. Nutrient pollution downstream from Bucharest has decreased after 2010, but more efforts to improve wastewater treatment are needed in order to comply with national and international regulations.

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Perennial Wetland Vegetation Components from a Sector of the Arges River

The potential bioaccumulation of hazardous transitional heavy metals in components of the aquatic environment (such as water column, sedimentary matter, plants) constitutes one of the concerns in environmental protection engineering. This experimental investigative study used systematic measurements of the presence of selected heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc) in components of the aquatic environment to give an indication of their availability and their potential bioaccumulation in the perennial wetland plants. Through environmental quality data processing, this study allowed both the assessment of interphase partitioning constants of these metals throughout the analyzed aquatic environment and the estimation of their cumulative toxicity coëfficiënt. The data analysis highlighted the different potential degrees of dangers caused by metals as pollutants and the synergistic way in which they act on the aquatic environment.

Bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements in fish species from aquatic environments located in crowded areas of southern Romania

Taking into consideration that fish are valuable bioindicators for assessing pollution with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as heavy metals from aquatic environments, this study aimed to assess bioaccumulation factors in relation to water (BAF) and sediment (BASF) for the following potential toxic elements: Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn from 6 different fish species (Alburnus alburnus, Carassius gibelio, Scardinius erythrophthalmus, Ameiurus nebulosus, Perca fluviatilis, Lepomis gibbosus). Fish species have been captured from the waters of the Arges River (Hotarele village area) and the Colentina River (particularly from Mogosoaia, Herastrau and Panteliom lakes), from crowded areas located in the southern part of Romania. The results of the analysis indicated BAF values > 1 for the most fish species captured from the Colentina River. BASF values > 1 were obtained for BASFPb (Carassius gibelio - Arges River), BASFNi (Scardinius erythrophthalmus - Herastaru L. and Perca fluviatillis - Pantelimon L.), BASFCr (Perca fluviatillis - Pantelimon L.) and BASFZn (Alburnus alburnus and Scardinius erythrophthalmus - Mogosoaia L. and Carassius gibelio - Pantelimon L.). The obtained results can be used to describe the transfer of these elements from water and sediments to the fish tissue.
 

Quality Assessment of Some Freshwater Resources Located in Bucharest and Surrounding Areas II. Water quality assessment of Arges and Dambovita rivers

The water quality assessment of Arges River and its tributary Dambovita River is presented in this paper as second part of an extended study on the evaluation of some freshwater resources quality located in Bucharest and surrounding areas [1]. This case study was carried out mainly for the water in the confluence area of Arges and Dambovita rivers, where a water and sediment sampling campaign was organized in June 2018. 21 quality parameters were determined for water samples and for the sediment samples the heavy metals content was evaluated. The results of the water samples analysis allowed the framing in quality classes, and for sediment samples the values obtained were compared with the chemical quality standards for sediments, according to the current national regulations. Following the assessment, it was established that the freshwaters in both Arge� River and Dambovita River, downstream the confluence with the Dambovita River are loaded with different pollutants, such as organic substances and nutrients leading to a lower water quality classification.

Quality Assessment of Some Freshwater Resources Located in Bucharest and Surrounding Areas II. Water quality assessment of Arges and Dambovita rivers

The water quality assessment of Arges River and its tributary Dambovita River is presented in this paper as second part of an extended study on the evaluation of some freshwater resources quality located in Bucharest and surrounding areas <1>. This case study was carried out mainly for the water in the confluence area of Arges and Dambovita rivers, where a water and sediment sampling campaign was organized in June 2018. 21 quality parameters were determined for water samples and for the sediment samples the heavy metals content was evaluated. The results of the water samples analysis allowed the framing in quality classes, and for sediment samples the values obtained were compared with the chemical quality standards for sediments, according to the current national regulations. Following the assessment, it was established that the freshwaters in both Argeş River and Dambovita River, downstream the confluence with the Dambovita River are loaded with different pollutants, such as organic substances and nutrients leading to a lower water quality classification. Keywords: freshwater, water quality, pollution, Arges River, Dambovita River

Proposals for the reorganization of road traffic in the central area of Pitesti municipality based on microsimulation-performed traffic analyses

In order to identify the possibilities for solving the traffic problems in the central area of Pitesti municipality - from improving traffic-light intersections to the proposal to redirect some of the traffic flows outside the area under analysis - a Vissim application, consisting of a microsimulation of road traffic in the central area, was performed. Based on the research conducted, a perspective of great interest proved to be the identification of the possibilities by means of which, to an extent as large as possible, the road traffic coming from Calea Depozitelor or the bridge over Arges and going to the Maior Sontu traffic-light intersection should follow the route between the railway and the Arges River, so as to reduce the impact load on the Podul Viilor roundabout intersection and circumvent the central residential area of the municipality of Pitesti. But, in the long run, the only viable solution that will completely eliminate the traffic congestion phenomenon at Maior Sontu intersection is to create the conditions for redirecting some of the traffic flows, and this can be done by arranging a road passage over the railway in the Prundu neighbourhood. Thus, a significant part of the road traffic - the one going to the Prundu, Craiovei and Războieni neighbourhoods, as well as to the periurban area in the east and south of the city, will follow this route, thus alleviating the traffic in the central area of the municipality of Pitesti.

Neonicotinoids Detection by new LC-MS/MS Method in Romanian Surface Waters

Increasing and widespread use of neonicotinoid insecticides in all world, together with their highly toxicity to invertebrates and environmental persistence mean that surface waters need to be monitored for these compounds. In the 2015, neonicotinoid insecticides have been incorporated in the watch list of substances for a European Union monitoring program (495/2015/ EU). A new method using automated solid phase extraction (SPE) with polymeric cartridges (OASIS HLB) followed by LC-MS/MS provided good separation of the most common neonicotindoid compounds. The method was developed for the determination of four neonicotinoid insecticides (nitenpyram, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid) in surface water with low limit of quantification (0.3-0.9 ng/L, nanograms per liter). Recoveries in surface water samples fortified at 200 ng/L for each compound ranged from 71.4 to 109.9 %; relative standard deviation ranged from 4 to 9%. The method was applied to water samples from four streams in Romania, Danube River and its tributaries (Arges River, Jiu River, and Olt River). The surface water samples were found to be contaminated clothianidin (1.08-6.4 ng/L) and by thiamethoxam (1.1-3.8ng/L). The highest concentrations were recorded in Danube River in Oltenita point (6.4ng/L) and in Gura-Vaii point (5.5ng/L). The concentration of acetamiprid and nitenpyram were situated below limit of quantification in all samples.

Analysis of emerging organic contaminants in water, fish and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Joint Danube Survey using solid-phase extraction followed by UHPLC-MS-MS and GC–MS analysis

In the third Joint Danube Survey (JDS3), emerging organic contaminants were analysed in the dissolved water phase of samples from the Danube River and its major tributaries. Analyses were performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS-MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The polar organic compounds analysed by UHPLC-MS-MS were 1H-benzotriazole, methylbenzotriazoles, carbamazepine, 10,11-dihydro-10,11-dihydroxy-carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethox-azole, 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid), metolachlor, cybutryne (irgarol), terbutryn, DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), and several perfluoroalkyl acids (C6–C9; C8=perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)) and perfluorooctansulfonic acid (PFOS). In addition, several organophosphorus flame retardants were analysed by GC-MS. The most relevant compounds identified in the 71 water samples, in terms of highest median and maximum concentrations, were 1H-benzotriazole, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TCPP), methylbenzotriazoles, carbama-zepine and its metabolite, DEET, sulfamethoxazole, tris(isobutyl)phosphate (TiBP), tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), PFOA, PFOS and diclofenac. The concentrations of these compounds in the samples were generally below the environmental quality standard (EQS) threshold values, with the exception of PFOS, the concentration of which exceeded the annual average water EQS limit of 0.65ng/L along the whole river, and also exceeded the fish biota EQS of 9.1μg/kg. In addition, the proposed EQS for diclofenac, of 0.1μg/L, was exceeded in the Arges River in Romania (255ng/L).

Assessing the Operation of the Cooling Water System of a Hydro-Power Plant Using EPANET

This paper focuses on the Cooling Water System (CWS) of Vidraru Hydro-Power Plant (HPP) − a 220 MW underground HPP, on the Arges River in Romania. It is equipped with 4 high head vertical Francis turbines of 55 MW each, 4 hydropower generators of 61 MVA each, and 7 step-up transformers of 40 MVA each. The goal is to model the above CWS and to analyse the system response under normal and critical operating scenarios. The numerical model built in EPANET is complex: the cooling water network is normally fed by pumping from the underground tailrace (using up to 3 pumps of 110kW each), but there is a backup supplying circuit fed directly from the penstock bifurcation pipe (using pressure reducing valves). Within the power plant, the following equipments need cooling water: air-water heat exchangers (related to generators and HVAC system); oil-water heat exchangers (related to bearings, speed governors and transformers); coolers of the turbines seals. Since EPANET lacks such physical components, they are artificially replaced by throttle control valves set with equivalent loss coefficients, established upon pressure drop values available for each equipment. The computed flow rate and pressure values match the existing recordings for normal operation. The numerical model also provides data on the system behaviour under critical operation conditions, e.g. when the HPP is operating at full capacity with CWS fed only by 2 pumps, out of 3 available pumps.

Monitoring and evaluation of the water quality of Budeasa Reservoir-Arges River, Romania.

The purpose of this study was to monitor and record the specific characteristics and properties of the Arges River water in the Budeasa Reservoir (the principal water resources of municipal tap water of the big Romanian city Pitesti and surrounding area) for a period of 5years (2005-2009). The monitored physical and chemical parameters were turbidity, pH, electrical conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, 5days biochemical oxygen demand, free dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia nitrogen, chloride, total dissolved iron ions, sulfate, manganese, phosphate, total alkalinity, and total hardness. The results were discussed in correlation with the precipitation values during the study. Monthly and annual values of each parameter determined in the period January 2005-December 2009 were used as a basis for the classification of Budeasa Reservoir water, according to the European legislation, as well as for assessing its quality as a drinking water supply. Principal component analysis and Pearson correlation coefficients were used as statistical procedures in order to evaluate the data obtained during this study.

Soil and terrain favorability for grape-vine of a stagnic luvosoil from Cândeşti Piedmont, Ştefăneşti-Marcea Plateau.

Stefanesti township from Arges county is one of the most ancient and significant Romanian wine-growing regions. The wines created here have won local and world-wide appreciation. Plantations are placed both on the left slope of Arges river, where ample terrace systems and anti-erosional works have been performed, and on the piedmontan plateaus with clayey, vertic soils. The Arges County Soil Research Office has conducted a special soil survey research on Marcea piedmontan plateau in the summer of 2012. Consequently, a soil-profile was dig and the taken samples were analyzed in OSPA’s laboratory. The soil-profile is typical for most surface of the piedmontan relief and is placed within an entirely weedy plantation. Following the local examination and analytic interpretation, it results that soil’s taxonomy is stagnic aric Luvosol (Romanian Soil Taxonomy), resulting from a native stagnic Luvosol. Following the analysis of the main indicators regarding the soil-terrain system typical of the Stefanesti Plateau, Marcea zone belongs to the 4th pretability class and to the third quality class. Main soil restrictions are acidity and the clayish texture. Because a system of improvement works can be emplaced, the soil has been evaluated and after an improvement of the natural coefficients. In these terms, the soil crossed into the third class of quality and remains in the same class of pretability for vineyard plantation. The paper shows that the studied area gathers most of the conditions needed for capitalization of lands through conversion and expansion of vineyard plantations.

Correlation of Dissolved Organic Matter Fluorescence and Several Metals Concentration in a Freshwater System

Abstract Dissolved organic matter (DOM) strongly influences several ecosystem processes, including the reduction of solar radiation, control of nutrient availability, modification of contaminant toxicity, and energy cycling. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, one of the most important DOM features, metal binding affinity, has been characterized, due to its direct effect on aquatic ecosystems. This paper presents the analysis of the relationship between type and concentration of metal ions and DOM fluorescence for water sampled from Arges River. The results suggest that certain competitive complexation processes occur among metal ions and that iron and chromium ions have the most significant impact on DOM fluorescence.

Transfer and translocation of organochlorine pesticide residues in an agricultural area of Romania

The study refers to translocation of some organochlorine persistent pesticides (Lindane, Aldrin, Endosulphane and DDT) in/from soil to surface and underground water and their accumulation in some crops in an agricultural area nearby Bucharest. The samples analysed were soil, surface water (Arges River) and underground water (wells). Pesticide residues were found especially in soil samples, in smaller quantities in surface waters and only in small quantities in underground water. The persistency of these chemicals in soil is correlated with the accumulation process effects in crops (were analysed samples of cabbage, radish and tomatoes), which might be hazardous for human health.

Analytical Studies on the Pollution of Arges River

The Arges River arises from the ice lake Capra, which is situated in the Fagaras mountains, and is flows into the Danube River near Oltenita city. During this “trip” it collects, more or less cleaned, industrial or home-originated wastewater and other waste materials. Some of these are deposited on the river bed, others are transported downstream by water or fish.Among antropogenic compounds, heavy metal ions may be the most harmful pollutants. While many other compounds are more or less biodegradable, heavy metal ions could be retained in the ecosystem, indefinitely. The water samples were collected between Cumpana and Oltenita from 12 sites placed in the middle of the stream. Heavy metal ions concentration in the samples were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry. The values were compared with Anodic Stripping Voltammetry delivered results (Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb), which provided a good agreement. The values determined within our work represent singular cases. Considering the obtained values for the water elements — loading related to reference limit values, the Arges River is, with few exceptions, a clean river.