Heavy metals in the mountain streams
Abstract
A heavy metal representing a subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties, which would mainly include the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanoids, and actinides. There have been proposed many different definitions of the term “heavy metals”. Some of them were based on density, some on atomic number or atomic weight. Also some definitions were founded on toxicity or other chemical properties. The elements in heavy metals group are miscellaneous. But latest times, the occurrence of heavy metals were dramatically changed in the nature. In many places the concentration of heavy metals was increased. It was caused by thoughtless human activity, i.e. toxic pollution as consequence of mining natural resources. It was confirmed, high concentration of these elements in nature has serious impact on the living organisms, so it is still necessary to study this theme, and of course find the solutions which can help to eliminate them from nature. In contrast to the High Tatra streams, very little published information are available on the biota and chemical properties of the streams in the West Tatra. In view of the need to increase our knowledge in this area, the Institute of Fishery Research and Hydrobiology organized a limnological investigation of the West Tatra lakes in 1988-1990.
© PRUNELLA Publishers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, elctronic, recording, etc. without the prior written permission of the publisher, PRUNELLA Publishers - RNDr. Marián Janiga, CSc., Vavra Šrobára 1524/6, 03401 Ružomberok, Slovakia, IČO: 30 525 764. Permission requests for creating new collective works, for resale, for advertising or promotional purposes, or for general distribution, should be addressed to the publisher as mentioned in the Slovak Copyright Law. Free submission of an article for publication entails the author(s) irrevocable authorization of the publisher to collect any sums or considerations for copying or reproduction payable by third parties, as mentioned in the Slovak Copyright Law. EV 3492/09.
