EFFECTS OF TRIBUTARIES ON RIVER WATER -
SEDIMENT INTERACTIONS: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PRESENTATION
M. PURIC a , P. PFENDT',cand P. POLICh,c,1
aBiological Institute, Podgorica, Yugoslavia
b Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade,
CInstitute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
ABSTRACT
The river Tara (UNESCO ecological reservation, Montenegro, Yugoslavia) arises
from the rivers Verusa and Opasanica. The drainage area encompasses two
dominant geological regions - a limestone region and a flysch region. The river
Tara is considered to be one of Europe's very few unpolluted rivers. However,
there are several pollution sources downstream - beside municipal wastewater,
dumps and some minor industrial capacities, it is the Mojkovac lead and zinc
mines and metal industry that are regarded as the most severe contaminant
sources. The distinction between anthropogenic and naturally occurring heavy
metals in such a system could be of high ecological significance. Since heavy
metals become incorporated (adsorbed, coprecipitated, etc.) into various
sedimentary phases, they are also expected to be remobilized under certain
conditions. Similarly, a redox-potential decrease results in reductive dissolution of
iron and manganese hydrous oxides. These remobilization processes represent a
threat for the aquatic system, even if sorption mechanisms (e.g. onto the bottom
mud) have apparently purified the aqueous phase.
Effets des Affluents sur les Interactions Eaux-Sediments d'un Systeme
Fluviale : une Representation Multidimensionnelle
RESUME
Le fleuve Tara (reserve ecologique de l'UNESCO, Montenegro, Yougoslavie) a
pour principaux affiuents Ie Verusa et l'Opasanica. La zone de drainance recouvre
deux formations geologiques principales - l'une Ii dominance carbonatee, l'autre
constituee de flysch. Le fleuve Tara est parmi l'un des rares fleuves non pollue
d'Europe. Toutefois, il existe plusieurs sources de pollutions anthropiques situees
en aval du fleuve. En plus des rejets d'eaux usees, des decharges publiques
d'origine urbaine et quelques pollutions mineures d'origine industrielle, la
principale source de pollution est la mine plomb-zinc de Mojkovac et l'industrie
metallurgique associee. Pouvoir distinguer les metaux lourds d'origine
anthropique et d'origine naturelle d'un tel systeme peut etre d'un tres grand interet
1 To whom correspondence may be addressed
C. Bardinet et al. (eds.), Geosciences and Water Resources: Environmental Data Modeling
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1997
SEDIMENT INTERACTIONS: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PRESENTATION
M. PURIC a , P. PFENDT',cand P. POLICh,c,1
aBiological Institute, Podgorica, Yugoslavia
b Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade,
CInstitute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
ABSTRACT
The river Tara (UNESCO ecological reservation, Montenegro, Yugoslavia) arises
from the rivers Verusa and Opasanica. The drainage area encompasses two
dominant geological regions - a limestone region and a flysch region. The river
Tara is considered to be one of Europe's very few unpolluted rivers. However,
there are several pollution sources downstream - beside municipal wastewater,
dumps and some minor industrial capacities, it is the Mojkovac lead and zinc
mines and metal industry that are regarded as the most severe contaminant
sources. The distinction between anthropogenic and naturally occurring heavy
metals in such a system could be of high ecological significance. Since heavy
metals become incorporated (adsorbed, coprecipitated, etc.) into various
sedimentary phases, they are also expected to be remobilized under certain
conditions. Similarly, a redox-potential decrease results in reductive dissolution of
iron and manganese hydrous oxides. These remobilization processes represent a
threat for the aquatic system, even if sorption mechanisms (e.g. onto the bottom
mud) have apparently purified the aqueous phase.
Effets des Affluents sur les Interactions Eaux-Sediments d'un Systeme
Fluviale : une Representation Multidimensionnelle
RESUME
Le fleuve Tara (reserve ecologique de l'UNESCO, Montenegro, Yougoslavie) a
pour principaux affiuents Ie Verusa et l'Opasanica. La zone de drainance recouvre
deux formations geologiques principales - l'une Ii dominance carbonatee, l'autre
constituee de flysch. Le fleuve Tara est parmi l'un des rares fleuves non pollue
d'Europe. Toutefois, il existe plusieurs sources de pollutions anthropiques situees
en aval du fleuve. En plus des rejets d'eaux usees, des decharges publiques
d'origine urbaine et quelques pollutions mineures d'origine industrielle, la
principale source de pollution est la mine plomb-zinc de Mojkovac et l'industrie
metallurgique associee. Pouvoir distinguer les metaux lourds d'origine
anthropique et d'origine naturelle d'un tel systeme peut etre d'un tres grand interet
1 To whom correspondence may be addressed
C. Bardinet et al. (eds.), Geosciences and Water Resources: Environmental Data Modeling
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1997