Scholarly record
ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY AND METAL CONTENT IN HISTORICAL ADIT SITUATED IN THE BOHEMIAN-MORAVIAN HIGHLANDS
Abstract
The central part of the Czech Republic, called the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, is well known for its historical mining activities, especially silver ores in the Jihlava district, dating back to the medieval period. Evidence of historical mining is still visible in the local landscape. This article analyses water samples collected at various locations within the so-called Pekelska stola (Hollen Stollen), near the town of Strbrne Hory. The mining activities in this adit have been documented since the 17th century; however, the locality was probably used for mining much earlier, up to the 20th century. Recently, this adit has become one of the largest preserved historical mining sites in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. To gain knowledge of spatial and seasonal variations in the physical and chemical properties, water samples collected at different points during spring and autumn were analysed using a combination of electroanalytical and spectrometric techniques. The measured pH and conductivity were found to vary spatially and seasonally, with values in the ranges 2.7–6.7 and 312–1669 µS/cm, respectively. Concentrations of selected elements were quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Among the heavy metals, iron was determined to be present at the highest concentrations up to 188.9 mg/L. Overall, metal and sulphur content were found to be highly spatially variable, and the spring-autumn variations were concluded to be not very significant. The results obtained may help improve understanding of the water regimes in this abandoned mine and suggest optimal mine management to reduce potential environmental risks.
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