Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 113 - 121, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0013
Scientific Paper, English

Veronika Bačová Mitková: Effect of the data lenght and seasonality on the accuracy of T-year discharges estimation: Case study on the Topľa River

 Full Text in PDF     90 DOWNLOADS

• The paper deals with the effect of two factors on the accuracy of T-year discharge estimation resp. fluctuations in the estimation of these discharges. As input data the series of daily discharges and peak discharges on the Topľa River at Hanušovce nad Topľou for the period of 1931–2015 were used. To estimate the T-year maximum discharges, the maximum annual discharges (AM) method was used with theoretical probability distributions that are among the most widely used in Slovak hydrological practice (Log-Pearson III, Gamma and Log-Normal). We analysed the effect of the time series length and the effect of seasonality (winter, summer) on the accuracy of T-year maximum discharges estimation.
  
  KEY WORDS: the Topľa River, AM method, peak discharge, data length, seasonality, T-year discharge
  
  Address:
  - Veronika Bačová Mitková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: mitkova@uh.savba.sk)

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 122 - 130, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0014
Scientific Paper, English

Dana Halmová, Pavla Pekárová, Veronika Bačová Mitková: Long-term trend changes of monthly and extreme discharges for different time periods

 Full Text in PDF     78 DOWNLOADS

• Nowadays, we are more frequently faced to the information about the extremes in discharge regime (floods and droughts) and their catastrophic consequences. Because of this, the first aim of hydrologists should be to verify these hypotheses and identify sources of mentioned changes. Rating extreme discharges is very important for example for assessing the impact of air temperature on the discharge. The upper parts of river basins are suitable for studying the effect of potential climate change or increased air temperature on drainage conditions in the basin. Analysis of trends in minimum discharges can predict its development and minimize its negative impacts on society and the environment. The contribution deals with the analysis of monthly discharges regime at gauging stations Bela-Podbanske (1929–2014) and Vah-Liptovsky Mikulas (1922–2014) and also analysis the minimum/maximum discharges in Bela River basin. Discharge analysed trends in mean monthly discharges and extreme discharges for selected time period to determine whether there is any significant change in the trend. We used the Mann-Kendall nonparametric test, which is one of the most widely used non-parametric tests to detect significant trends in time series.
  
  KEY WORDS: trend analysis, MANN-KENDALL test, extreme and monthly discharges, Vah River basin, Bela River basin
  
  Address:
  - Dana Halmová, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: halmova@uh.savba.sk)
  - Pavla Pekárová, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Veronika Bačová Mitková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 131 - 138, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0015
Scientific Paper, English

Patrik Sleziak, Michal Danko, Ladislav Holko: Testing of an alternative approach to calibration of a hydrological model under varying climatic conditions

 Full Text in PDF     90 DOWNLOADS

• Conceptual rainfall-runoff models are routinely used in practical water resources investigations. Common uncertainties associated with these models (in addition to the uncertainty related to schematization and structure of the models) include for example errors in the inputs, calibration/validation uncertainties (e.g., choice of the suitable lengths of the two periods), uncertainties related to the use of the models in other climatic conditions, etc. This study addresses the uncertainties related to the choice of calibration/validation periods for the long data sets with varying climatic inputs. It is conducted in the pilot catchment of the Jalovecký Creek (area 22.2 km2) in Slovakia and uses data from the 30-years long period 1989–2018. A HBV type model (the TUW model) is used for the modelling. Two different approaches to selection of calibration period are compared. In the first approach, the calibration period is determined by division of the available data into three equally long periods (each of them is then used in model calibration and validation). Such an arbitrary division is the common practice in hydrological modelling. In the second approach, the selection of calibration periods is based on the cycles found in the measured data. The wavelet transform method revealed cyclical components in air temperature with period of 6-years. Periods in other data sets were less significant. In accordance with this finding, the model is calibrated for five 6-years long periods. Model performance for the two approaches to selection of the calibration periods is evaluated by visual comparison of measured and simulated monthly flows in different climatic periods and by the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient. The two approaches to the selection of calibration period provided similar results. However, the model calibrated in colder period represents monthly flows more reliably than the model that was calibrated in warmer period. In terms of predictions related to climate change impacts it would mean that hydrological models calibrated in current period should provide reasonable simulations for warmer climate.
  
  KEY WORDS: hydrological model calibration, method of wavelet transform, climate change
  
  Address:
  - Patrik Sleziak, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: sleziak@uh.savba.sk)
  - Michal Danko, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Ladislav Holko, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 139 - 144, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0016
Scientific Paper, English

Valentín Sočuvka, Yvetta Velísková: Bathymetric surveys of Tatras glacial lakes: Case study – Batizovske pleso

 Full Text in PDF     52 DOWNLOADS

• The Tatras Mountain, located on the border between Slovakia and Poland, are the highest and the most significant mountains range within the Carpathian Mountains of Central Europe. Because of their altitude and former glaciations the Tatras Mountain are classified as an alpine massif. The most important and interesting natural elements of the Tatras Mountain alpine landscape represent glacial lakes. There are about 87 lakes of glacial origin in the Slovak part of the Tatras Mountain, the most of them are situated in the alpine zone (1 800–2 200 m a.s.l.) above the upper forest line. Hydrographic research of the glacial lakes in the Tatras Mountain has a long history since 1925, however the results of the surveys were different over the years due to technical limits of the survey instruments, their low precision as well as the extreme climate conditions with high altitude. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the application of modern hydrographic and geodetic instruments for bathymetric survey in the condition of the Tatras Mountain, which unlike the traditional instruments and techniques are characterized by high precession and efficiency. In the case study we demonstrate yet the most precise digital terrain model (DTM) of the glacial lake Batizovske pleso, created in software environment ArcGIS and based on the data from the bathymetric survey performed in 2018 by Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) EcoMapper and geodetic instrument GNSS Stonex.
  
  KEY WORDS: bathymetry, lake, Tatras Mountain, EcoMapper, DTM
  
  Address:
  - Valentín Sočuvka, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: socuvka@uh.savba.sk)
  - Yvetta Velísková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 145 - 150, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0017
Scientific Paper, English

Radoslav Schügerl: Field study for determine Manning´s roughness coefficient with different flow conditions

 Full Text in PDF     51 DOWNLOADS

• Vegetation growing in the water along streams has been the subject of several studies since it was recognized that it could have a significant impact on the water flow. It may increase resistance to flow and cause higher water levels. Also, it has an effect on the velocity profiles. The purpose of this paper is to investigate, and determine how aquatic vegetation influences flow resistance, water depth and discharge in the Malina stream at the Záhorská lowland area. Vegetation causes resistance to flow; it reduces flow velocities, discharge and increases water depth. Measurements performed during three years at this stream were used for an evaluation of vegetation impact on flow conditions. The Manning´s coefficient was used as one way of quantifying this impact. The results show variation of this parameter during the growing season.
  
  KEY WORDS: Manning´s roughness coefficient, flow conditions, water-level, aquatic vegetation
  
  Address:
  - Radoslav Schügerl, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: schugerl@uh.savba.sk)

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 151 - 159, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0018
Scientific Paper, English

Renáta Dulovičová: Transformation of bed silts along lowland channel Gabčíkovo-Topoľníky and comparison of their saturated hydraulic conductivity values

 Full Text in PDF     54 DOWNLOADS

• This contribution deals with the evaluation of bed silts permeability on channel Gabčíkovo-Topoľníky (G-T channel), the one from three great channels of channel network at Žitný ostrov (ŽO). The bed silts permeability in ŽO channel network significantly impacts on mutual interaction between channel network and groundwater at ŽO and it is expressed by parameter their saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC). The paper compares the values of bed silts SHC which were extracted from G-T channel during period 1993–2018. The bed silts were extracted and obtained by two ways, as a disturbed samples and as an undisturbed samples. From disturbed samples on G-T channel were obtained bed silts SHC calculated according to empirical formulas of Bayer-Schweiger and Špaček, the valid values of SHC – Kp reached from 4.3 10-07–4.5 10-05 m s-1. From undisturbed samples of silts which were extracted along G-T channel from top, middle and bottom layer of silts, were determined the values SHC – Kn by measurement in laboratory – by the laboratory falling head method. The acquired values Kn for G-T channel reach from 5.2 10-08–4.2 10-03 m s-1. The current state of longitudinal distribution of bed silts SHC along the G-T channel was demonstrated as numerically and graphically, too.
  
  KEY WORDS: channel network, bed silts, granularity, silt permeability, saturated hydraulic conductivity
  
  Address:
  - Renáta Dulovičová, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: dulovicova@uh.savba.sk)

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 160 - 165, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0019
Scientific Paper, English

Peter Rončák, Peter Šurda: Water balance estimation under a changing climate in the Turiec River basin

 Full Text in PDF     67 DOWNLOADS

• The article deals with the estimation of water balance components under a changing climate in selected catchments in Slovakia. Climate change has a significant impact on the hydrological cycle and water resources. In this research, the GIS-based, spatially distributed WetSpa rainfall-runoff model was used to simulate mean daily discharges in the outlet of the basin as well as the individual components of the water balance. The WetSpa model simulations are often used to evaluate the impact of changes on the generation of runoff and water balance. The parameters of the model were estimated using climate data and three digital map layers: a land-use map, soil map and digital elevation model. In this research, the KNMI and MPI regional models with SRES A1B (moderate) emission scenario were used. Outputs from the KNMI and MPI climate scenarios (as input data) were used to estimated future behavior of characteristics of water balance as an actual evapotranspiration and soil moisture. The results showed an increase of actual evapotranspiration and decrease of soil moisture in future horizons in comparison with the reference period of 1981–2010.
  
  KEY WORDS: water balance, climate change scenarios, rainfall-runoff modelling
  
  Address:
  - Peter Rončák, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: roncak@uh.savba.sk)
  - Peter Šurda, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 166 - 171, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0020
Scientific Paper, English

Justína Vitková, Ján Gaduš, Kamil Skic, Patrycja Boguta, Tomáš Giertl: Impact of grapevine biochar on some hydro-physical characteristics of silt loam soil – laboratory measurements

 Full Text in PDF     51 DOWNLOADS

• This study is focused on some hydro-physical characteristics of silt loam soil and their changes after biochar amendment. The used biochar was produced from wooden parts of grapevine (Vitis) in UNIPYR reactor in AgroBioTech Research Center in Nitra, Slovakia. There were established 4 sets in laboratory: pure soil and soil-biochar mixtures with 20, 40 and 80 t ha-1 biochar amendment. Our results confirmed more scientific studies that adding biochar into the soil decreased soil bulk density, particle density and increased porosity. Saturated hydraulic conductivity increased only for higher biochar concentrations in our research. Based on our measurements the optimal amount of grapevine biochar for improving hydro-physical characteristics of silt loam soil was 40 t ha-1.
  
  KEY WORDS: grapevine biochar, soil characteristics, silt loam soil
  
  Address:
  - Justína Vitková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: vitkova@uh.savba.sk)
  - Ján Gaduš, Department of Regional Bioenergy, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic
  - Kamil Skic, Department of Physical Chemistry of Porous Materials, Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
  - Patrycja Boguta, Department of Physical Chemistry of Porous Materials, Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
  - Tomáš Giertl, Department of Regional Bioenergy, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 172 - 179, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0021
Scientific Paper, English

Peter Šurda, Anežka Čelková, Justína Vitková, Anton Zvala: Determination of actual soil water content, matrix potential and water repellency in sandy soil during a dehydration experiment

 Full Text in PDF     49 DOWNLOADS

• Soil water repellency (SWR) diminishes the affinity of soils towards the water and may resist wetting for durations ranging from a few seconds to hours or days depending on its persistence. It has been proposed that the origin of natural SWR is caused by organic compounds released from different plant species and sources, due to resins, waxes and other organic substances in their tissues. SWR may vary nonlinearly with soil moisture content (SMC), showing complex responses. It has been observed that small variations in water potential may have significant impacts on the wettability of water-repellent soils, and concluded that maximum soil water repellency does not necessarily occur in oven-dry soils, but at certain specific soil water potentials. The aims of this work were: i. to determine the values of SMC and corresponding values of soil matrix potential and persistence of SWR in forest soil samples during the drying process under laboratory conditions; ii. graphically analyze and quantify the drying process of the water-repellent soil surface.
  
  KEY WORDS: soil water repellency, soil moisture content, soil matrix potential, dune sand
  
  Address:
  - Peter Šurda, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: surda@uh.savba.sk)
  - Anežka Čelková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Justína Vitková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Anton Zvala, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 180 - 188, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0022
Scientific Paper, English

Anton Zvala, Tomáš Orfánus, Anežka Čelková: Impact of forest soil interface depth on value of saturated hydraulic conductivity of superimposed organic horizon

 Full Text in PDF     42 DOWNLOADS

• The paper examines the impact of the interface depth between the superimposed organic horizon and the organomineral A- horizon of forest soil on the water infiltration from the Guelph infiltrometer into forest soil. The superimposed organic horizon forms the surface layer of forest soil and it has specific physical properties such as high porosity, low bulk density, released structure and high values of hydraulic conductivity. The decomposing organic matter of the superimposed organic horizon causes the water repellency of organomineral A-horizon lying under it. In model Hydrus 2D/3D simulations with different interface depths between the superimposed organic horizon and the organomineral A-horizon of forest soil a slowdown of vertical component of infiltration from the Guelph infiltrometer and a preference of horizontal component of infiltration was detected in the case when the interface was in the bottom of borehole in which the Guelph infiltrometer was located, or when the interface has been moved higher than the bottom of borehole. By the increase of interface above the bottom of borehole, the increase of saturated hydraulic conductivity value from Ks=0.0041 cm s-1 to Ks=0.109 cm s- 1 was detected.
  
  KEY WORDS: forest soil, saturated hydraulic conductivity, superimposed organic horizon, model Hydrus 2D/3D
  
  Address:
  - Anton Zvala, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: zvala@uh.savba.sk)
  - Tomáš Orfánus, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Anežka Čelková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 189 - 194, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0023
Scientific Paper, English

Lucia Balejčíková, Branislav Kandra, Andrej Tall: Quantification of soil water balance components during the vegetation period in 2018

 Full Text in PDF     45 DOWNLOADS

• Hydrological processes in the atmosphere – plant cover – soil aeration zone – groundwater system are most affected by global climate changes, which influence the distribution and intensity of rainfall. These changes need to be monitored and forecasted for their future development, which is of great importance for human activities, especially agriculture and forestry. Data for the evaluation of soil water regime are obtained from field monitoring. Interpretation of temporal and spatial movement of water in the aeration zone is made by constantly improving computing techniques using various algorithms applied in mathematical simulation models. In our work we used the GLOBAL software, developed at the Institute of Hydrology of SAS, to simulate the individual components of the water balance in rigid soils in the locality Milhostov (Eastern Slovakia Lowland). The paper aims to quantify water balance components of a given soil system. Numerical simulation results were compared with data obtained from field monitoring during the vegetation period in 2018.
  
  KEY WORDS: precipitation, soil aeration zone, groundwater level, evapotranspiration, numerical simulation
  
  Address:
  - Lucia Balejčíková, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: balejcikova@uh.savba.sk)
  - Branislav Kandra, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
  - Andrej Tall, Institute of Hydrology SAS, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 195 - 203, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0024
Scientific Paper, English

Ivana Kameníčková, Šárka Schneiderová, Kateřina Suchá: Assessment of the physical and chemical quality of the upper layer of loamy soil

 Full Text in PDF     45 DOWNLOADS

• Healthy soil is a basic prerequisite for the growth and development of plants, animals and humans. It is assessed on the basis of "indicators" of physical, chemical or biological quality. The present paper evaluates the quality of the upper layer of loamy soil using of basic indicators of physical and chemical quality, i.e. texture, density, porosity, maximum water capacity, minimum air capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, humus content, pH and conductivity. These indicators were determined by standard laboratory methods from collected intact soil cores and grab samples. Experimental research took place in years 2016–2018 near the village Šardičky (K1) and Bohaté Málkovice (K2) in the South Moravian Region. Upper layer of these plots was cultivated by reduced tillage technology. The plot K1 was sown with poppy seed (Papaver somniferum L., 2016) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare conv. distichon var. nici, 2017–2018), the plot K2 with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare conv. distichon var. nici, 2016–2017) and sunflower (Helianthus, 2018). The long-term reduced tillage technology showed small changes in selected physical and chemical parameters of soil quality in the monitored period 2016–2018, the soil quality was good for both plots. With regard to achieving or exceeding critical values for measured soil quality indicators, the experimental plot K1 has shown a better quality in upper layer of soil than plot K2.
  
  KEY WORDS: soil quality indicators, no-tillage, bulk density, porosity, air capacity, hydraulic conductivity, organic carbon
  
  Address:
  - Ivana Kameníčková, Institute of Landscape Water Management, Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Veveří 95, 662 37 Brno, Czech Republic (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: kamenickova.i@fce.vutbr.cz)
  - Šárka Schneiderová, Institute of Landscape Water Management, Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Veveří 95, 662 37 Brno, Czech Republic
  - Kateřina Suchá, Institute of Landscape Water Management, Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Veveří 95, 662 37 Brno, Czech Republic

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 204 - 209, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0025
Scientific Paper, English

Oqba Basal, András Szabó: Soybean yield and seed quality under moderate drought stress as affected by P fertilizer

 Full Text in PDF     39 DOWNLOADS

• Providing nutritional sources is crucial in order for plants to achieve optimum yield and quality of the produced yield; this becomes more important under stress conditions, to which drought belongs, representing one of the mainly increasing abiotic stresses. P fertilizer has a special role in enhancing the rooting system of plants, which might help in overcoming negative drought influence by enhancing water and nutrient uptake. Soybean is classified as a drought-sensitive legume, providing cheap source of both protein and oil. To evaluate the influence of P fertilizer on soybean yield and quality under moderate drought, an experiment was conducted in 2018 by applying three P fertilizer rates (0, 45 and 90 kg ha-1 of P2O5) to soybean (cv. Boglár) under two irrigation regimes; irrigated and moderate-drought-stressed regimes. Results showed that drought had negative effects on both yield and oil concentration; however, P application could alleviate drought's effects by enhancing both traits, moreover, it could enhance these traits when drought was waived off as well. P application had very small effect on protein concentration which was significantly higher under moderate drought conditions. Applying relatively-high rate of P could further increase oil concentration compared to lower P rate, however, it did not enhance yield or protein concentration. It was concluded that applying P fertilizer has positive effects on both yield and seed quality of soybean, especially under moderate drought, however, higher rate of P fertilizer had little influence on oil concentration only.
  
  KEY WORDS: drought stress; irrigation regimes; P fertilizer; seed quality; soybean; yield
  
  Address:
  - Oqba Basal, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Böszörményi road 138/A (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: oqba@agr.unideb.hu; oqbabasal@gmail.com)
  - András Szabó, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Böszörményi road 138/A

Acta Hydrologica Slovaca, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2019, p. 210 - 217, doi: 10.31577/ahs-2019-0020.02.0026
Scientific Paper, English

Lamlile Khumalo, György Heltai, Márk Horváth: The migration of potentially toxic elements during the recultivation of the uranium mining deposit in Mecsek

 Full Text in PDF     42 DOWNLOADS

• The ecological risk caused by the potential migration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) during the recultivation of the abandoned uranium mining deposit in Mecsek in Hungary was estimated by developing a sample strategy. To study the effectiveness of soil covering layer in retardation of migration of PTEs (Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, and Zn) on the covering soil of deposit No.1, sampling locations were selected based on the results of the running monitoring program at the deposit No.1, where erosion wounding occurred during the recultivation. Top to bottom soil core samples (0–25, 25–50, 50–75 and 75–100 cm depths) and covering plant (grass) samples were taken and analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer. Overall the results of the soil samples collected indicated that there is a possibility of migration of PTEs as water infiltrates from the top to the bottom of the deposit. Transfer factor, TF ≥1 for Cu might be an indication of trace elements’ availability to be taken up by the plants. The fractionation by sequential extraction of PTEs is still in progress which should give more information on their migration.
  
  KEY WORDS: uranium mining, potentially toxic elements, migration, soil, plants
  
  Address:
  - Lamlile Khumalo, Szent Istvan University Institute of environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, 2100, Hungary (Corresponding author. Tel.: Fax.: Email: lamlilekhumalo@gmail.com)
  - György Heltai, Szent Istvan University Institute of environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, 2100, Hungary
  - Márk Horváth, Szent Istvan University Institute of environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, 2100, Hungary