Anthropogenic records in a fluvial depositional system: The Odra River along The Czech-Polish border. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Faměra, Martin; Matys Grygar, Tomáš; Ciszewski, Dariusz; Czajka, Agnieszka; Álvarez-Vázquez, Miguel Ángel; Hron, Karel; Fačevicová, Kamila; Hýlová, Věra; Tůmová, Štěpánka; Světlík, Ivo; Zimová, Kristýna; Dvořáková, Kateřina; Szypuła, Bartlomiej; Hošek, Michal; Henych, Jiří
• Is Part Of: Anthropocene. Volume 34(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Transboundary pollution -- Anthropogenically influenced floodplain -- Heavy metal pollution -- Enrichment factor -- Principal component analysis; Nature -- Effect of human beings on -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; 304.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ancene.2021.100286
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-3054

Abstract

Highlights: Enrichment factors better express contamination than principal component analysis. Copper, lead and zinc concentrations increase downstream of an industrial centre. Maximal contamination of the Odra River sediments is not older than 1950s. Magnetic enhancement in sediments is a reliable marker of the Anthropocene. Abstract: Industrial revolution induced contamination of lowland rivers and floodplain soils with heavy metals worldwide. This pollution was particularly significant in former coal mining regions where hard coal was utilised in various industrial facilities like coke, iron and steel works. The upper Odra River draining Ostrava Coal District in Czech and Upper Silesia mining region in Poland is an example of such a European river with strong historical pollution followed by modern one originating from heavy industry in times of communistic industrialisation in both countries. In the presented studies we sought 19 th and 20 th century transboundary contamination of the upper Odra River waters recorded in floodplain soil by the most common potentially toxic elements, i.e. lead and zinc as well as by the presence of magnetic particles (spherules). We expected to reveal the general pattern of the Odra River floodplain soil contamination with risk elements which allow us to differentiate sediments of the industrial and pre-industrial era. We used robust regression and robust principal component analysis, using a log-ratio methodology of compositional data analysis, which is a fast and effective tool in assessing contamination levels. Significant increases in risk element concentrations were found downstream from the Ostrava–Bohumín agglomeration, and in some places they exceed the safety limits for agricultural soils in Poland. A comparison of sediments within and outside of the inter-embankment zone showed no systematic difference in their contamination levels suggesting that the sediments were probably contaminated before dike construction mainly since the half of 19 th century.