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SEASONAL VARIATION IN CONTAMINATION AND SOURCES OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN THE CIESZYN TUFA SPRING WATER (SOUTHERN POLAND)

Kinga Ślósarczyk

Abstract

The Cieszyn Tufa Springs is a special area of conservation located in the Western Carpathians (southern Poland). The main subjects of protection are springs that outflow from the contact zone between Cretaceous limestones and slates. Due to a high vulnerability of shallow aquifers within the area of Cieszyn Foothills as well as urbanization and highly-developed industry of the Silesia region, a wide range of contaminants is detected in the spring water. Although microcomponents present in water of the mentioned area are often of geogenic origin, some micro-organic compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), may occur as a result of human activities. In order to quantify PAHs in water from the springs and streams in the area of the Cieszyn Tufa Springs, 4 field campaigns were conducted in summer and autumn of 2017. The concentrations of 16 PAHs were determined using the GC-MS method. The total concentration of examined PAHs observed throughout the considered period ranged between 0.079 and 1.3938 ?g/L. The obtained results revealed seasonal variability manifested by the increase in PAHs concentrations in autumn. In a few samples, the sum of the concentrations of 4 PAHs (benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene) exceeded the drinking water limit (0.1 ?g/L). In addition, an attempt has been made to identify the source of target compounds using PAH diagnostic ratios. The comparison of PAHs? ratios allows to make an assumption that a large proportion of tested compounds derives from car exhausts and low-stack emission and they probably were introduced to spring water through the deposition of air pollutants.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/1.2/s02.060

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