The main objectives of the presented study were to quantify the transfer of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) along the river continuum and to evaluate the impact of wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) located in the catchment on the river quality. The samples were collected during the spring (high water flow) and summer season (serene water flow) of 2010. The river samples were collected from five stations located along the lowland Pilica River, including two stations situated above and below the Sulejow Reservoir. At the same time, samples from the outlets of 17 WTPs were collected. As evidenced by the results, the largest WTPs discharged up to 59.09 μg toxic equivalent (TEQ) of PCDDs/PCDFs and dl-PCBs per day during high flow events and up to 26.03 μg TEQ during serene water flows. During the same time, the smallest WTPs released on average 0.81 and 0.70 μg TEQ day−1, respectively. The obtained results have also demonstrated an increase in the TEQ concentration along the Pilica River continuum (from 4.75 to 6.25 pg TEQ L−1). The exception were samples collected below the dam where 63% TEQ reduction was observed compared to samples collected above the reservoir.
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Research Article|
November 06 2013
The impact of point sources of pollution on the transport of micropollutants along the river continuum
Magdalena Urbaniak;
1European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Tylna 3, 90-364 Lodz, Poland and Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
E-mail: [email protected]
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Edyta Kiedrzyńska;
Edyta Kiedrzyńska
1European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Tylna 3, 90-364 Lodz, Poland and Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
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Marcin Kiedrzyński;
Marcin Kiedrzyński
2Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
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Michał Mendra;
Michał Mendra
3Department of Grasslands, Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, Falenty, Al. Hrabska 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
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Adam Grochowalski
Adam Grochowalski
4Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
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Hydrology Research (2014) 45 (3): 391–410.
Article history
Received:
December 27 2012
Accepted:
September 05 2013
Citation
Magdalena Urbaniak, Edyta Kiedrzyńska, Marcin Kiedrzyński, Michał Mendra, Adam Grochowalski; The impact of point sources of pollution on the transport of micropollutants along the river continuum. Hydrology Research 1 June 2014; 45 (3): 391–410. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2013.242
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