Temperate Urban Streams as Summer-Critical Ecosystems Regarding Metal Contamination

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2022-08, Vol.233 (8), Article 314
• Main Authors: Dragun, Zrinka, Perić, Mirela Sertić, Mikulčić, Marta, Dražina, Tvrtko, Marijić, Vlatka Filipović, Kepčija, Renata Matoničkin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic habitats; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; City centres; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Contamination; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecosystems; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Human influences; Hydrogeology; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Metal concentrations; Metalloids; Metals; Physicochemical processes; Recreation areas; Recreational areas; Rivers; Seasons; Soil Science & Conservation; Streams; Summer; Urban areas; Urban populations; Urbanization; Water levels; Water quality; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-022-05774-8

Urbanization leads to changes in the natural state of the environment, including changes in natural aquatic habitats within urbanized zones. In the present study, the impact of urbanization on the water quality of urban streams, which are important sources of drinking water and recreational areas for the urban population, was investigated along two streams in the Croatian capital Zagreb. The upper reaches of the two urban streams are largely pristine (located within a nature park), whereas their downstream reaches are physically altered and impacted by anthropogenic (residential, municipal, industrial, agricultural) activities. Several physico-chemical parameters were measured in the streams using standardized methods, while concentrations of 30 dissolved metals/metalloids in the water were measured using a high resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Although the water quality of the streams studied was rather good, the influence of urbanization was evident. Different contamination levels were observed along the two streams, depending on the specific anthropogenic activities and contamination increase in the stream reaches closer to the city centre. Furthermore, the summer season of low water levels and water discharges proved to be the most critical time, with significant increases in many metals/metalloids in the water. Since stream quality evidently reflects urbanization, continuous monitoring of urban streams is recommended, especially during the warmer seasons. The results of this study could help to understand the effects of the “urban stream syndrome” along urban streams and its seasonal characteristics.