@conference{
author = "Zarić, Nenad and Šajnović, Aleksandra and Jovančićević, Branimir and Baltić, Nevena and Ranđelović, Dragana and Kašanin-Grubin, Milica",
year = "2017",
abstract = "Rivers, which approximately deliver 20 billion
metric tons of transported sediment to oceans every
year, play a key role in Earth surface processes.
Determining the content of potentially harmful
heavy metals in rivers sediments is essential for
estimating the environmental risk. The main sources
of heavy metals in drainage basins are weathering
of rocks and anthropogenic activities.
The aim of this study is to determine the
geochemical properties in river sediments in order
to assess the intensity of possible anthropogenic
influence. Sediments were collected from the Great
War Island in Belgrade, located at the confluence of
Sava and Danube River (Fig. 1).
Number of authors analyzed Danube and Sava
sediments [e.g. 1, 2], but so far no studies have been
conducted on the confluence of these two rivers.
Contents of Cr and Ni are of particularly interest
since high concentrations of these two elements
were reported in previous studies, but their origin is
still not completely understood.
For the purpose of this study sediment samples
were collected on five locations: 3 locations along
the shore of the island (Kalemegdan, Lido and
Small port) and 2 inland locations (at the Big and
Small Galijas channels) (Fig. 1).
Mineralogical and geochemical properties were
determined on 27 samples. Grain size composition
was determined using the Laser Microsizer 2000,
contents of major and minor elements using X-ray
fluorescence diffraction (XRF). Content of organic
carbon (Corg) was determined with CHNOS
Elemental analyzer.
Grain size analysis shows that analyzed sediments
form four groups: sands, silty sands, sandy silts
and clayey silts. Sediments from the shores show
very high variation in dominant grain size, while
sediments from the inner part of the island are
clayey silts. This is in accordance with hydrological
conditions since Island shores and the Big Galijas
are under constant sediment input, although very
low energy flows occur in the channel. Sediment
deposition in the Small Galijas occurs only during
extreme floods and consequently fine grain
sediments are deposited.
Clay content and Corg content have positive
correlation. Sediments from the Small Galijas have
highest Corg (~5%) and lowest carbonate content
indicating calm reduce deposition environment.
Future organic geochemical analyses will give
important insight into distribution of organic
compound at the molecular level.
Contents of Cr and Ni in all samples have a positive
correlation indicating the same geogenic origin.
Content of Cr is grain size controlled in sediments
that are under constant water flux, meaning higher
Cr concentration in coarser sediments. Sediments
in the Small Galijas do not obey this rule due to its
specific depositional environment.",
journal = "18th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry - EMEC18: Chemistry Towards an Infinite Environment",
title = "Geochemical Properties of the Sediments of the Great War Island, Belgrade (Serbia)",
pages = "241-241"
}
