Adverse effects caused by pyrites and sterile dump from central pond area on environmental factors quality – groundwater and surface water

Abstract

The paper presents results of the study on the emission sources based on the analyses of environment characteristics (underground and surface water) in emplacement and estimation of the potential effects on the environment. For assessment of the current situation of groundwater and surface water quality was developed a sampling program and some quality indicators (physico-chemicals, biological and microbiological) were determined: for underground water – 7 control wells in Central pond neighborhood and 1 in pyrites dumps (near Central pond); for surface water – 4 sections placed on the Racos and Sasar rivers upstream and downstream of pyrite dump near Central pond. For all samplings, the indicator values of sulfate, iron, manganese, cadmium are higher than the intervention threshold, and indicate a significant pollution. The pH values in all wells has acid character. For phytoplankton: the density of phytoplankton on the Sasar river (after confluence with the Racos river) is lower downstream of pyrite waste dump than the downstream the Racos section. Zooplankton is more sensitive to toxic action of heavy metals than phytoplankton, and it is absent in all control sections.