The ecologically controversial lagoon Sturmovci is located within the Regional Park Sturmovci, near Lake Ptuj. It was artificially created during the construction of the hydroelectric power plant Formin and served as a point of convergence for waste water from the surrounding industry. For decades, polluted sludge has been accumulating in the lagoon, but due to the legal and financial obstacles has not yet been remediated and thus poses a great danger to the local environment, people and animals. Mineralogical (XRD) and geochemical (XRF, ICP-MS) analyzes, nitrogen isotope analyzes (δ15N) and scanning electron microscope analyzes (SEM-EDS) were performed as part of the master's thesis to assess the pollution of the lagoon and to define its negative effects on the environment.
Concentrations of PTE, especially As, Ba, Pb and Zn, are extremely elevated in the lagoon and also on the sorrunding agricultural fields, in some locations they exceed the limit values, as well as the critical values, for soils defined by Slovenian, Dutch and European legislative guidelines. This is supported by calculated environmental factors that also shows extreme contamination with listed PTE and point to the extreme environmental problem. PTE can be elevated due to the presence of waste sludge from municipal and wastewater treatment plants, fertilizers and/or phytopharmaceutical products. The obtained data on the pollution of the lagoon indicate a very poor condition and consequently the necessity for a rapid and effective remediation, which could be performed by zeolites, biochar or hyperacumulating plant. Appropriately treated material with immobilized PTE could be used to fortify the banks and arrange the paths within the Regional Park Sturmovci.
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