Mirjana Kresovic

Effect of High Nickel and Chromium Background Levels in Serpentine Soil on Their Accumulation in Organs of a Perennial Plant

The effect of high concentrations of nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) in alkaline serpentine Fluvisol (FL 1) on their uptake by grapevine as a perennial plant was compared to their accumulation on alkaline Fluvisol (FL 2) and an acid Cambisol (CM). The FL 1 revealed high pseudo total Ni (900–1737 mg kg−1) and Cr (263–775 mg kg−1) concentrations, whereas those in FL 2 and CM were low. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable Ni was greatest in FL 1; DTPA‐extractable Cr was less than the detection limit. Concentrations of metals in grapevines revealed the pattern root > leaves > shoots > grapes. At FL 1, high Ni and Cr concentrations (40.7–68.8; 23.3–41.3 mg kg−1) in roots were measured. In grapes, these concentrations were low (Ni 0.4–0.9; Cr 0.1–0.6 mg kg−1), whereas those on FL 1 do not differ significantly from others, indicating that alkaline serpentine soils may be used for grapevine or other perennial plant growth.

Contamination, risk, and source apportionment of potentially toxic microelements in river sediments and soil after extreme flooding in the Kolubara River catchment in Western Serbia

PurposeClimate change is contributing to an increase in extreme weather events. This results in a higher river flooding risk, causing a series of environmental disturbances, including potential contamination of agricultural soil. In Serbia, the catastrophic floods of 2014 affected six river basins, including the Kolubara River Basin, as one of the larger sub-catchments of the large regional Sava River Basin, which is characterized by large areas under agricultural cultures, various geological substrates, and different types of industrial pollution. The main aim of this study was to establish the sources of potentially toxic elements in soil and flood sediments and the effect of the flood on their concentrations.Materials and methodsField sampling was performed immediately after water had receded from the flooded area in May 2014. In total, 36 soil samples and 28 flood sediment samples were collected. After acid digestion (HNO3), concentrations of the most frequent potentially toxic elements (PTE) in agricultural production (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) and Co which are closely related to the geological characteristics of river catchments, were analyzed. The origin, source, and interrelations of microelements, as well as background values of the PTE of the river catchment, the pollution index (Pi), enrichment factor (Ef), and geological index (Igeo), were determined, using statistical methods such as Pearson correlations, principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple linear regression (MLRA).Results and discussionThe content of the hot acid-extractable forms of the elements, PCA, and MLRA revealed a heavy geological influence on microelement content, especially on Ni, Cr, and Co, while an anthropogenic influence was observed for Cu, Zn, and Cd content. This mixed impact was primarily related to mines and their impact on As and Pb content. The pseudo-total concentrations of all the analyzed elements did not prove to be a danger in the catchment area, except for Cu in some samples, indicating point-source pollution, and Ni, whose pseudo-total content could be a limiting factor in agricultural production. For the Ef, the Ni content in 59% soil and 68% flood sediment samples is classified into influence classes.ConclusionsThe similar pseudo-total contents of the elements studied in soil samples and flood sediment and their origin indicate that the long-term soil formation process is subject to periodic flooding in the Kolubara River Basin without any significant changes taking place. This implies that floods are not an endangering factor in terms of the contamination of soil by potentially toxic elements in the explored area.

Essential Oil Composition of Achillea millefolium agg. Populations Collected from Saline Habitats in Serbia

Abstract: Essential oil yield and composition of three populations of yarrow (Achillea millefolium aggregate) occurring on saline habitats of Serbia was analyzed in relation to its soil site characteristics. The total of 99 compounds of essential oils was determined within three estimated chemotypes: the chamazulene + trans-caryophyllene+β-pinene (in population assigned as P1), the lavandulyl acetate+chamazulene + trans-caryophyllene (in P2) and the trans-chrysanthenyl acetate+trans-caryophyllene+germacrene D (in P3). The highest yield of 1.01 % and the lowest of 0.32 % were determined for populations P1 and P3, respectively. The highest total salt content, corresponding with the highest values of ECe and sodium, chloride and sulfate ion concentration was determined for soil of P1 population, which was assessed as solonchak soil, in difference to much lower value of sodium ions, total salts, ECe and pH, all increasing with the soil depth, as determined for samples of P2 and P3 yarrow populations - typical for the solonetz type of salt affected soils. Differences in yield and chemical composition of essential oils were discussed in term of impact of both populations genetic variability and specific environmental conditions. The essential oil quality in all researched yarrow populations accomplishes standards of EU Pharmacopeia 6.0 and thus, sustainable wild collection of yarrow from halophytic habitats could be recommended.

Impact of a severe flood on large-scale contamination of arable soils by potentially toxic elements (Serbia)

Extreme flooding in May, 2014 affected the sub-catchments of six major rivers in Serbia. The goal of the study was to evaluate the contents of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn in flood sediments and arable soils within the affected sub-catchments using regulatory guidelines and background levels. The sub-catchment of West Morava was selected to assess the degree of sediments and soils contamination and environmental risk [using the Pollution index (Pi), Enrichment factor, Geo-accumulation index, and Potential ecological risk index (PERI)] as well as to identify main PTEs sources by Principal component (PCA) and cluster analysis. Contents of Ni, Cr, As, Pb, and Cu above both guidelines and background levels, and of Zn and Cd above background levels were detected in the sediments and soils from all the sub-catchments. Pi indicted that about 95% of the soils and sediments were extremely polluted by Ni and about 65% slightly polluted by Cr, whereas about 90% were not polluted by As, Cd, Pb, Cu, or Zn. Ef indicated minor to moderate enrichment of the soils and sediments by Ni, and Cr. PCA differentiated a geogenic origin of Ni, Cr, As, and Pb, a mixed origin of Cd and Zn, and a predominantly anthropogenic origin of Cu. PERI of the soils and sediments suggested a low overall multi-element ecological risk. The ecological risk of the individual elements (Eri) for soils was Zn < Cr < Pb < Ni < Cu < As < Cd.