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The study aims to determine the source of NH4+ ions in the mineral waters of the Hranice Karst. The study area is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, Europe. The area is known mainly for its carbon dioxide of deep origin; the gas was the factor that enabled the formation of hypogene karst, in the Palaeozoic limestones, as well as warm mineral waters. The limestones of the area are covered by Neogene (Miocene) sediments of variable thickness and lithology. Recurrent sampling was done at 36 sites. A total of 96 surface water samples, 65 borehole water samples and 96 karst water samples were assessed. Major anions, cations and the content of nitrogen and its forms were determined for all water samples. The soil types were characterised by a field pedological survey. The normalised difference vegetation index was calculated in QGIS and vegetation vitality was evaluated. Since places with remarkably low vegetation index were found to be linked to the occurrence of Miocene sandstones, they represent points of rather fast entry of rainwater into the ground. As the presence of carbon dioxide creates an anoxic setting underground, the entering nitrates are transformed into NH4+ ions. This mechanism of transformation within the nitrogen cycle explains the presence of NH4+ ions in areas with elevated CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel spatially explicit modeling framework developed to quantify the secondary environmental benefits of groundwater protection strategies in karst landscapes, with a specific application to the Hranice Abyss region. The model employs a multi-criteria decision analysis, integrated with hydrological modeling and a high-resolution random forest-based prediction algorithm, to downscale land surface temperature (LST) in order to obtain high-resolution 1 × 1 m spatial results. The primary contribution of this research lies in its capacity to assess not only the core objectives of groundwater protection but also its wider environmental impacts, including enhanced stormwater retention and the mitigation of land surface temperature increases. Key model predictors include land use and land cover data, and the framework is adaptable across diverse landscape types. In the case study area, water retention capacity demonstrated an increase of up to 30%, with an average rise in precipitation retention of 18.2 mm per microbasin. However, reductions in surface temperature were more modest, with a maximum decrease of 7.3%, corresponding to an average temperature drop of 1.5 °C. The model further identified pronounced seasonal and land-use-specific variations in surface temperature, particularly on agricultural land, where temperature fluctuations reached up to 2.6 °C between pre- and post-harvest periods. The findings of this study offer critical insights into how targeted land-use interventions can not only safeguard groundwater resources but also enhance landscape resilience to climate change. As such, this modeling approach provides an essential tool for the advancement of sustainable water resource management and climate-adaptive environmental planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The main objective of research was to assess the current level of bottom sediment and water pollution of the Olše River and its tributaries. The Olše River is an important stream in the Upper Silesian Basin which was significantly affected by coal mining and industrial activities in the past (Martinec et al. 2006). Monitoring of the area by the Povodí Odry State Enterprise (the Odra River management) has shown that the water quality in the river has significantly improved due to the development of municipal wastewater treatment plants. Currently, saline waters from coal mines in the Karviná sub-basin are considered to be the biggest threat to the river environment. A total of 19 river sediment and 9 surface water samples were collected (Fig. 1). The elemental content was determined using X-ray florescence spectroscopy (XRF); for selected river sediments, the organic carbon content was determined using the Elementar Vario TOC CUBE device. The loading of river sediments by elements was evaluated using Igeo Class. The content of major ions (HCO3-, K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, SO4 2- and Cl-) in the surface water samples was determined in the laboratory. The water in the Olše River belongs to the hydrochemical type of Ca-HCO3. The water in the Karvina Creek near the mining works is highly mineralised and represents a single case of the Na-Cl hydrochemical type. Despite the significant mineralisation level, the water from this creek does not significantly affect the quality of the water in the Olše River. The highest enrichment of river sediments compared to the natural background was found for Zn (Table 1) at all sites. Zinc is one of the elements with rather high mobility and tends to be bound to hydrated Fe and Mn oxides that occur in rather large quantities on adjacent spoil heaps in the area and can thus enter the system very quickly. The Mn (340 to 2,553 mg/kg) as well as Sr (71 to 1,836 mg/kg) concentrations are elevated compared to those in global shales (850 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, respectively; Turekian - Wedepohl 1961). Their contents in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin river sediments should be systematically monitored. The Olše River sediments were slightly to moderately contaminated with Cr and Pb (Table 1). This is not considered to be related to mining but rather to road runoffs and the fact that the river flows through industrial areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most methods of evaluating river system contamination use an enrichment factor, but there is no consensus concerning the specific values of the natural geochemical background to be. This is critical for evaluation of the anthropogenic loading. Taking into account that the final evaluation is strongly dependent on the choice of this parameter, the aim of the paper is to show the importance of the choice of the natural background in assessing the pollution degree of river sediments. Element concentrations of the surrounding rocks are considered to be the natural geochemical background. The Svratka River springs in the Žďárské vrchy Highlands. It flows through crystalline rocks in upstream, and further then through metamorphic volcanic rocks, sediments of the Boskovice furrow and plutonic rocks of the Brno Massif. Further on, it flows through a straight watercourse over the plain of the Dyje-Svratka deep valley, and the downstream flows through Miocene sediments of the Carpathian foredeep and flysch units of the Western Carpathians (Fig. 1). 24 samples of river sediments were taken from the Svratka River and its tributaries (Fig. 1). The samples were decomposed in a solution of 1 ml HF (40%) and 3 ml HNO3 (65%). The Al, Ti and As contents were determined by AAS, the Pb, Zr contents were determined by FAAS, and Cr and Ni element contents were determined by ICP-MS (Table 2). The Enrichment Factor (EF) was calculated for each sample using Al, Ti and Zr as reference elements and recommended concentration of the natural background values in Table 1. The resulting EF values are very different (Fig. 2a, b). The results of the statistical processing for lead, arsenic, nickel and chromium (Fig. 3a-d) using the reference elements titanium, aluminium and zirconium demonstrated that the choice of the reference element is not the main factor that significantly influences the final evaluation. The choice of the appropriate natural geochemical background value is absolutely crucial for the evaluation of the anthropogenic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to detect three triazine pesticides and their metabolites in the drip water and the sediment of the Amaterska cave system. Diversity of the bacterial community in the sediment was also assessed, and the potential role of bacteria in degradation of these pesticides was evaluated. Materials and methods: Triazines and their metabolites were analyzed in the soil, drip water, and sediment of the Amaterska cave system area in seven sampling sites (S1-S7) based on the above ground cover that included forest, permanent grassland, and agriculture cropland. The bacterial community in the cave sediments (S1-S6) was also analyzed using the Illumina sequencing of the V3 and V4 regions of 16S rDNA. Results and discussion: Triazines were present in the soil and drip water in all sites below grassland and agricultural land but not under the forest area. Only atrazine metabolites were detected in the surface soil. In contrast, atrazine was detected in all cave sediments regardless of above ground cover, and this is likely due to the occasional alluvial influx. The overall prevalence of bacteria potentially capable of atrazine degradation in the cave sediment ranged from 13.4 to 64.0% of the entire bacterial community. The concentrations of atrazine in the cave sediment were 16 to 70 times higher than in those in drip water. Conclusions: High concentrations of atrazine in the cave sediment indicate a slow degradation rate of triazines in the cave likely due to low temperatures and absence of photolysis. The main source of atrazine in the Amaterska cave system is likely not drip water but the alluvial influx. Bacteria potentially capable of triazine degradation in the cave sediment were detected; however, their role in this process remains to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basin of the Bečva River is among those areas in the Czech Republic that are most exposed to floods danger. The disastrous flood in July 1997 had a devastating impact on settlements in the basin and the zone along the Morava River also draining the catchment, thus becoming an impetus to seeking for best protection against floods. This also restored the plan from the first half of the 20th century to construct water management works in the vicinity of the spa at Teplice nad Bečvou and the municipality of Skalička. Currently, the works of medium size are proposed within the river stretch upstream of Skalička with a maximum water level of 265.00 m ASL, and the total volume of 42.1 million cubic meters. The planned dam of the reservoir is located roughly three kilometres in beeline from the Hranice Karst - more specifically, from the Hranice Abyss. The Hranice Karst of hypogenic origin is extending on the eastern tip of the Maleník fault block and forms part, along with the entire fault block of the Paleozoic sedimentary cover, of Brunovistulicum. On this basement there is a sequence of sedimentary rocks of Middle Devonian (Eifelian) up to Carboniferous ages (Mississippian/Viséan). The karst alone has developed in Devonian carbonates of Givetian to Tournaisian stages which are included in the Macocha and Líšeň groups of strata. The total thickness of limestones has not yet been established in this area and their basement was never reached by drilling. The thickness of the sequence of carbonate sediments can be assumed only indirectly based on the data obtained by drilling in the larger area (e.g. the Potštát-1 borehole confirmed the presence of carbonates at a depth of 4,200 m; the Choryně-9 borehole revealed the presence of carbonates at a depth of 1,462 m, reaching the underlying paragneiss; the Branky borehole reached paragneiss at a depth of 2,546 m under Devonian carbonates; and the Valašské Meziříčí borehole penetrated a crystalline complex at a depth of 1,462 m under Devonian carbonates. During the 1997 flood the level of the Bečva River increased by 6 m in the Hranice Karst, while there was increase in the level of mineral water in the karst cavities and an eruptive outflow of mineral water from an unused borehole occurred. This was due to the flood water exhibiting exceptional hydrostatic pressure on groundwater in infiltration area of mineral water. In the long-term, one of such infiltration areas of mineral water has been placed in the bed of the River Bečva near the municipality of Kamenec - directly within the area of designed works (Fig. 1). Subsequently, the continuously increased hydrostatic pressure on this infiltration area is likely to cause an increase in the level of mineral water in both the Hranice Karst and the spa resort of Teplice nad Bečvou. The strongly karstified limestones found in the bottom of the reservoir can also cause considerable problems in terms of engineering geology. Probes are installed at specified karst sites and wells of mineral water to measure the water level, temperature and electrical conductivity of water (Fig. 2). As a result, increased levels of mineral water are consistently observed in both karst cavities and wells with every flood wave. Since there is an increase in the level of mineral water in the monitored objects, with the mineral water being never diluted, the increase occurs due to the influence of increased hydrostatic pressure of surface water. A polder can be considered as a satisfactory means to control flood and protect mineral water. While the mineral water regime will still be affected in flood events with this method of control, it will be only a temporary situation; after a certain time, the regime will restore its initial status, depending on the specific situation, similarly as with the extreme flood in 1997. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the extent of the Jihlava River sediments load by geogenic elements and to evaluate the possibility to trace the weathering products from the Třebíč durbachite. The Třebíč pluton is typical of high potassium and magnesium contents (more than 3 wt.%), and also high contents of Cr, Ni, Rb, Cs, Ba, Th and U. Seven samples of stream sediments were collected from the Jihlava River. The heavy metal contents of As, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and also selected elements such as U, Ta, Nb, Rb, Sr in all samples were determined using the ICP MS method. In order to evaluate the relation to the adjacent types of basement rocks, the results were compared to the published data (Kotková et al. 2010) of the local characteristic rocks. The contents of elements (As, Cu, Zn and Pb) evaluated in terms of potential contamination are low in the Jihlava River sediments and according to Igeo coefficient, they reach a maximum of 3. Higher contents were found for Cr and Ni, and no decrease in the flow direction was found (Table 1). It was considered whether the increased contents of Cr and Ni are due to anthropogenic load or related to the local geology and bedrock. Stream sediments were therefore assessed from the viewpoint of the intensity of weathering using the CIA (Chemical Index of Alteration) and WIP (Weathering Index of Parker) (Fig. 1) indices, and the specific ratios (Fig. 2) such as Nb/Ta (Fig. 2) U/Th, K/Rb and Sr/Rb. The previously mentioned ratios used to characterize the Třebíč pluton were found to be stable throughout the river flow and are not significantly changed by the Oslava River tributary. Considering that the Cr and Ni ratios are stable throughout the river flow and correspond to the ratios of these elements in the Třebíč massif, it can be stated that the increased contents of Cr and Ni are due to the weathering of source rocks (durbachites), and do not indicate anthropogenic contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the presence of the crude oil derived substances in the Bílina River sediments and to verify explanatory abilities of the used analytical methods. The Bílina River has its source on the slopes of Krušné hory and flows to the east through surface pits in an artificial corridor in its upper stream and further continues through the open landscape of the North Bohemian Brown Coal Basin and the České středohoří Mts. In terms of stratigraphy, units of Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Cretaceous, Tertiary and Quaternary age are represented in the accumulation areas (Müller, 1997). The primary factor determining the current morphology of the landscape is human activity and anthropogenic deposits. The area along the Bílina River is heavily influenced by the opencast brown coal mining and coal processing, petroleum refineries, and products of chemical industry. There are major industrial activities in the Bílina River basin which are particularly co-responsible over a long term for high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POP) and inorganic pollutants in the river sediments (Holoubek et al 2003). Twenty samples of river sediments were collected along the Bílina River. All samples were subjected to the determination of the total extractable hydrocarbons (TEH, C10-C40), the total organic carbon (TOC), the total sulphur (TS) and the sum of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (Table 1, Fig. 1). According to Herron (1988) most of the analysed samples belong to shales or Fe-shales where a great possibility of sorption of inorganic or organic pollutants is expected (Fig. 1). To distinguish the river segments with the prevailing input of the petrogenic from pyrogenic substances, correlation of the total extractable hydrocarbons and PAH were applied. The ratio fluoranthene/pyrene (Table 1, Fig. 2), whose value from the anthropogenically modified flow in the segment Záluží -- Bílina did not go beyond 0.5, which is significant for the presence of the emissions from the transport or the petroleum industry, has been proved superiorto the other currently recommended ratios of PAH. The evaluation of the archival TEH data from 13 locations between years 1990 to 2009 did not show any improvement of the water and sediment quality along the Bílina river profile. In many cases the value of TEH in the water exceeded the limit of 0.1 mg/l and the value of TEH in the river sediment exceeded the limit of 1 500 mg/kg of dry matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]