State of Heavy Metals Pollution of Flooded Agricultural Land in the North Part of Republic of Srpska

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the research of soil contamination in flooded area located at the confluence of Bosna and Sava rivers. The sampling was performed according to a network of points Etrs89 reference European Network based on grid points of 500 m x 500 m. The total number of soil samples was 31 and 13 samples of sediment-mud. In the soil samples and sediment-mud samples various parameters were analyzed: pH H2O and 1 M KCl, humus (method by Tjurin), and the readily available phosphorus and potassium (AL method). The interpretation of total content of heavy metals in the soil was conducted according to Dutch Soil Remediation Circular (2009). The samples were analyzed for the total content of heavy metals: Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu (aqua regia digestion, AAS) and the elevated concentrations of Ni. However, Ni content in mud was from 240.5 mg/kg to 294.5 mg/kg, in soil it was from 128.9 mg/kg to 452.1 mg/kg. All mud samples were alkaline, and 79% of soil samples were alkaline and of neutral reaction. The analysis indicated that the flood in May 2014 was not caused by soil contamination with heavy metals, which however contributed to the increase of the overall content of these elements in the soil.