Zorka Vukmirović

Speciation of Heavy Metals in Geological Matter of the Serbian National Parks, Protected Areas and Cities Within the Danube River Basin After the War Conflict in 1999

In order to assess the effects of the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia on the environment, some of the most widespread and feared pollutants, including heavy metals were determined in various sediment samples that were taken from three areas hit by bombing and were previously well-known for its unpolluted environment. Samples of soil and sediments from Fruska Gora National Park as well as Deliblatska Pescara and Zasavica Protected Areas which all lie in the immediate vicinity of the Danube, were investigated by sequential extraction, in order to determine potential substrates of heavy metals and to predict their potential mobilization mechanisms into the environment, especially into surface and ground water flows. This was important because the Danube, one of Europes most important rivers, flows in the immediate vicinity of the National Park and Protected Areas and any contamination could cause severe effects on the rivers ecological status and unpredictable consequences on the countries downstream, including the ecology of the Black Sea. Results show that all three examined areas are polluted with cadmium, the main source of which is projectiles (i.e. their explosions which could contaminate the examined sediments). In Deliblatska Pescara Protected Area there is an increase of highly mobile lead, most probably originating from the bombing of Pancevo oil industry facilities. Radioactivity in examined sediment samples is in the range of values commonly reported from neighbouring countries, suggesting that the contribution of the Chernobyl accident and NATO bombing in 1999 to the total radioactivity in the examined areas is negligible from the health point of view (i.e. that DU ammunition was not used in these areas).

Increase of particulate sulphate content in the atmosphere of Belgrade in the summer

Abstract The 24-h average particulate sulphate, SO2 and smoke concentrations were determined simultaneously at the Meteorological Station Vracar-Belgrade. Sampling of sulphates on cellulose filters is considered acceptable for the season without heating, when the SO2 and smoke concentrations are relatively low. It was found that the sulphate concentrations were relatively high in early summer, midsummer and late summer months in the period 1980–1983. Furthermore, in the warm period of 1981 and 1982, the oxidant concentrations were measured at this station and at the Aerological Observatory Zeleno Brdo-Belgrade. In the periods where the oxidant concentrations in 8-h intervals were found to be (a) > 120 μg O3 m−3 at one site and (b)

Atmospheric Transport and Deposition of Persistent Organic Pollutants Under Warfare Conditions

30 μg O3 m−3 at both sites, the analysis of variance data was performed. It is shown that the particulate sulphate content on the days when oxidant concentrations were low was only 20 per cent lower (not significant) than it was on days where concentrations surpassed 120 μg O3 m−3. However, the occurrence of high individual sulphate concentrations, especially on the second day of most episodes, was shown to be statistically significant.

Characterization of trace metal particles deposited on some deciduous tree leaves in an urban area

The uncontrolled emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and particulate matter into the atmosphere from fires, destroyed objects, and bombed terrains in a war zone are presented from the aspect of their effects on the environment. Emitted directly as particles or formed by gas-to-particle conversion in the plumes from these sources, aerosols can become active cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), thus increasing the probability of precipitation occurrence. Wet deposition is indicated as the dominant process of POP removal from the atmosphere. Since POP deposition generates soil contamination which can remain in the environment for a long period of time, war zones presenting the maximum risk are recommended for UN protection. During the NATO campaign in Yugoslavia from 24 March to 10 June, 1999, the almost daily attacks on major industrial sources caused numerous industrial accidents throughout Serbia. Using trajectory analysis, the regional pollutant transport from industrial sources in Kosovo and Serbia corroborated the elevated concentrations of POPs at Xanthi (Greece), which appeared in the periods of 6–8 and 18–20 April. The maxima of the daily-accumulated precipitation (10–15 mm) during 18 April were registered in the larger Belgrade area and in the south-easterly part of Serbia where the maxima of wet deposition fluxes of PAHs and dioxins/furans were likely to have occurred. Yugoslavia was included in the assessment of POP accumulation in the environment in the framework of the UN program for Europe. Because of the lack of POP measurements representative for the territory of Yugoslavia, the calculated levels in that program until 24 March should, therefore, be considered as the state before the NATO intervention.