ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Flooding on Heavy Metals
Contamination of Vistula Floodplain Sediments
in Cracow; Historical Mining and Smelting
as the Most Important Source of Pollution
Magdalena Strzebońska, Anna Kostka, Edeltrauda Helios-Rybicka,
Elżbieta Jarosz-Krzemińska
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Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology,
Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
Submission date: 2014-09-25
Final revision date: 2014-11-11
Acceptance date: 2014-11-16
Publication date: 2015-05-20
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2015;24(3):1317-1326
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ABSTRACT
The discharge of high flood water (2010) into reservoirs located in the Upper Vistula River catchment
and into the overloaded Vistula River channel may strongly affect water and sediment quality. To investigate
the contamination of the flooded area in the center of Cracow, total of 32 sediment samples were collected
along the length of the Vistula River and also from the cross section in the floodplain area. Additionally, 12
samples of the flooded sediments were collected along the Wilga River – a tributary of the Vistula located
within the investigated area. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe in the bulk samples and
size fraction <20 μm were studied. The metals concentration in the Vistula River flood sediment samples varied
in wide ranges (mg/kg): Zn 59-1013, Pb 17-263, Cd 2.6-23, Mn 145-469, and Fe 0.70-3.59%, and was
considerably higher in the size fraction samples. The concentration of Cu was low and reached up to 40 mg/kg.
The highest amount of Zn was found in the sediment sample from the cross section, located 38 m from the
Vistula River channel. Three-step sequential extraction revealed the most mobile metals in the sediment fraction
<20 μm, which were as follows: Cd (77% of the total amount), Pb (55%), and Zn (42%). The contamination
of the Wilga River flood sediments was lower when compared with Vistula River contamination.