Anthropogenic heavy metal loading on the bottom sediments of surface water bodies

Bottom sediment is the material of long-term substance sedimentation under the influence of physical and chemical processes occurring within a water body. Sediments act as indicators of quality and determine the state of the water body, since they are alluvial deposit that accumulate pollutants. Bottom sediments contain heavy metals that may prevent the use of sediment after removal, if their concentrations exceed the permitted limits. Since sediment can’t be attributed to any other natural features such as soil or sapropel, it is necessary to identify methods for the analysis of heavy metals specifically in sediments.
Bottom sediments of surface water resources are selected as research objects – the Loshitsa river (Minsk), Reservoir Chizhovsky, the Titovka river (Marjina Horka, Minsk region) and as background water object – Sergeevskoye lake (Sergeyevichi agro-town, Minsk region).
Sediment samples were examined for moisture, soiling samples. The composition of the samples was investigated by means of an elemental analysis with a clarification of the bonds by IR spectroscopy. The anthropogenic impact on sediment was assessed according to heavy metal content – Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Mn, using methods of extractometric photometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy and wet ozone to identify heavy metal forms, related to organic matter. Anthropogenic loading was calculated by the geochemical criteria of igeoclasses Igeo.
It was found that the most heavy metal pollution (Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni) occurred in reservoir Chizhovsky. Geo-accumulation index for Cu was 0,43 (reservoir Chizhovsky, coastal zone), for Pb – 0,31 (reservoir Chizhovsky, center), for Cr maximum was 1,92 (reservoir Chizhovsky, center), for Ni maximum is 1,53 (reservoir Chizhovsky, center).

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