The role of the major biogeochemical processes in Hg cycling at the sediment–water interface was investigated in the Grado Lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea). This wetland system has been extensively ...contaminated from the Idrija Hg Mine (Slovenia) through the Isonzo River suspended load carried by tidal fluxes. Three approaches were used to study the sediment–water exchange of total Hg (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), reactive Hg (RHg) and dissolved gaseous Hg (DGHg): (1) estimation of diffusive fluxes from porewater and overlying water concentrations, (2) measurements of benthic fluxes using a deployed light benthic chamber
in situ and (3) measurements of benthic fluxes during oxic–anoxic transition with a laboratory incubation experiment. The THg solid phase, ranging between 9.5 and 14.4
μg
g
−1, showed slight variability with depth and time. Conversely, MeHg contents were highest (up to 21.9
ng
g
−1) at the surface; they tended to decrease to nearly zero concentration with depth, thus suggesting that MeHg production and accumulation occur predominantly just below the sediment–water interface. Porewater MeHg concentrations (0.9–7.9
ng
L
−1, 0.15–15% of THg) varied seasonally; higher contents were observed in the warmer period. The MeHg diffusive fluxes (up to 17
ng
m
−2
day
−1) were similar to those in the nearby Gulf of Trieste Covelli, S., Horvat, M., Faganeli, J., Brambati, A., 1999. Porewater distribution and benthic flux of mercury and methylmercury in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea). Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 48, 415–428, although the lagoon sediments contained four-fold higher THg concentrations. Conversely, the THg diffusive fluxes in the lagoon (up to 110
ng
m
−2
day
−1) were one- to two-fold higher than those previously estimated for the Gulf of Trieste. The diurnal MeHg benthic fluxes were highest in summer at both sites (41,000 and 33,000
ng
m
−2
day
−1 at the fishfarm and in the open lagoon, respectively), thus indicating the influence of temperature on microbial processes. The diurnal variations of dissolved THg and especially MeHg were positively correlated with O
2 and inversely with DIC, suggesting an important influence of benthic photosynthetic activities on lagoon benthic Hg cycling, possibly through the production of organic matter promptly available for methylation. The results from the dark chamber incubated in the laboratory showed that the regeneration of dissolved THg was slightly affected by the oxic–anoxic transition. Conversely, the benthic flux of MeHg was up to 15-fold higher in sediments overlain by O
2 depleted waters. In the anoxic phase, the MeHg fluxes proceeded in parallel with Fe fluxes and the methylated form reached approximately 100% of dissolved THg. The MeHg is mostly released into overlying water (mean recycling efficiency of 89%) until the occurrence of sulphide inhibition, due to scavenging of the available Hg substrate for methylation. The results suggest that sediments in the Grado Lagoon, especially during anoxic events, should be considered as a primary source of MeHg for the water column.
Mercury (Hg) solubility and reactivity in soils at two extremely contaminated ancient small scale cinnabar roasting sites in the surroundings of the Hg mining area of Idrija (Slovenia) were ...determined in order to assess the mobility of Hg in the aqueous phase and to evaluate the extent of leaching of Hg into Idrijca River and further downstream. Water leaching experiments were performed on soil and SOM (soil organic matter) samples from historical roasting sites Pšenk and Frbejžene trate. The determined concentrations of leachable Hg in soil samples from the studied areas range from 16 to exceptionally high concentration of 18,000μg/kg, representing 0.0002 to 1.1% of total Hg in these samples, while in SOM samples leachable Hg concentrations range between 13.3 and 6000μg/kg, which corresponds to 0.0017–0.074% of total Hg determined in SOM. The soluble Hg concentrations in investigated soil profiles range from 183 to 18,000μg/kg (0.038–1.7% of total Hg). On the average, more than 90% of soluble Hg occurs in a non-reactive complex bound form, suggesting the preferential binding of Hg to humic matter. Soluble Hg in studied soil profiles generally increases with depth. The obtained results show that Hg is effectively transported to deeper soil layers, mainly as soluble organic complexes. It is estimated that there is still about 10kg of soluble Hg stored in soils of the investigated roasting sites, which is continuously leached to surface waters and deeper into the soil.
•Water leaching experiments were performed on soil and SOM samples.•Total soluble, complex-bound and reactive Hg was defined.•Extremely high concentrations (up to 18,000μg/kg) of soluble Hg were determined.•More than 90% of soluble Hg occurs in a non-reactive complex bound form.•We estimate that soluble Hg stored in soils is mobilized to the groundwater.
The soil at ancient roasting sites in the surroundings of the Idrija mine (Slovenia) is highly contaminated with mercury. To assess the impact of mercury on groundwater by infiltration and find an ...eco-friendly remediation method, the leaching of mercury from the soil containing 1347 mg Hg/kg, followed by sorption of the total leached mercury on cost-effective natural zeolite (NZ) clinoptilolite, was performed. The leaching of soil in ultrapure water of pHo = 3.00–11.46 after 24 h resulted in the total leached mercury concentration in the range 0.33–17.43 µg/L. Much higher concentrations (136.9–488.0 µg/L) were determined after the first few hours of leaching and were high above the maximum permissible level in water for human consumption. The NZ showed very good sorption of the total leached mercury, with a maximum removal efficiency of 94.2%. The leaching of mercury in presence of the NZ resulted in a significant decrease of the total leached mercury (1.9–20.3 µg/L compared to 12.8–42.2 µg/L), with removal efficiencies up to 90.5%, indicating immobilization of mercury species. The NZ has a great potential for economically viable remediation of mercury-contaminated environment. However, efforts should be made in the further study of mercury leachability to reduce the mercury concentration in water to acceptable levels.
In his book titled Iz nevidne strani neba: Razkrite skrivnosti staroverstva (From the Invisible Side of the Sky: Secrets of an Old Faith Revealed, Ljubljana 2015), Pavel Medvešček published ...testimonies of an old faith once practiced by some of the inhabitants living in certain parts of western Slovenia. His principal informants were unmarried men, the so-called "uncles". Based on fragments of their narratives, the author of this article explores their lifestyle and their position within their families. Based on the comparative material from Istria and Nadiške Doline/Valli del Natisone, she examines their situation in the wider historical and social context, setting out some particular issues for further research.
The aim of this paper was to test the new sampling media—earthworm casts in a highly contaminated area. The investigation was carried out at the ancient Hg ore roasting site Pšenk in the surroundings ...of Idrija, where extremely high Hg contents in soils and SOM were determined in previous investigations. 32 earthworm cast samples were collected in the research grid 30×30m in order to compare the Hg contents and spatial distribution in earthworm casts to the values and distributions in SOM and soil (0–15cm). Extremely elevated Hg concentrations were determined in earthworm casts from the studied area ranging from 5.4 to 4330mg/kg with the median of 31mg/kg. The Hg values in casts are somewhat lower than in soil (6.3–8600mg/kg) and slightly higher compared to soil organic matter (SOM) (1.5–4200mg/kg). Strong correlation (r²=0.75) between Hg contents in casts and soil was found, while correlation between casts and SOM was positive but weaker (r²=0.35). Spatial distribution of Hg in earthworm casts show the highest concentrations in the central part of investigated area, similar to the distribution in soil. Hg contents rapidly decrease from the center toward the margins of the studied area, where they reach values of less than 50mg/kg. It was shown that Hg contents and dispersion in casts are comparable to those in soil, which indicates that at investigated area soil contamination is strongly reflected in contamination of earthworm casts.
► We compare Hg contents in soil, SOM and earthworm casts. ► The determined Hg contents are in the order of soil>earthworm casts>SOM. ► There is strong correlation between Hg contents in casts and soil. ► Soil contamination is strongly reflected in contamination of earthworm casts.
Results are presented of the first airborne LiDAR survey ever flown in Europe for the purpose of mapping the surface expression of earthquake‐prone faults. Detailed topographic images derived from ...LiDAR data of the Idrija and Ravne strike‐slip faults in NW Slovenia reveal geomorphological and structural features that shed light on the overall architecture and kinematic history of both fault systems. The 1998 MW = 5.6, and 2004 MW = 5.2 Ravne Fault earthquakes and the historically devastating 1511 M = 6.8 Idrija earthquake indicate that both systems pose a serious seismic hazard in the region. Because both fault systems occur within forested terrain, a tree removal algorithm was applied to the data; the resulting images reveal surface scarps and tectonic landforms in unprecedented detail. Importantly, two sites were discovered to be potentially suitable for fault trenching and palaeo‐seismological analysis. This study highlights the potential contribution of LiDAR surveying in both low‐relief valley terrain and high‐relief mountainous terrain to a regional seismic hazard assessment programme. Geoscientists working in other tectonically active regions of the world where earthquake‐prone faults are obscured by forest cover would also benefit from LiDAR maps that have been processed to remove the canopy return and reveal the forest floor topography.
Mercury distribution and partitioning was studied in the River Idrijca system, draining the area of the former Idrija mercury mine, Slovenia. Mercury dynamics were assessed by speciation analysis of ...mercury in water and river bed sediment samples during a 2-year study at locations on the River Idrijca and its major tributaries. Simultaneously, the influence of some major physico-chemical parameters that influence the fate of mercury in the aquatic environment was investigated. The distribution of mercury species in the River Idrijca catchment indicated contamination from mine tailings distributed in the town of Idrija and erosion of contaminated soils. The partitioning between dissolved and particulate mercury phases in river water was found to be mostly controlled by the variable content of suspended solids resulting from changing hydrological conditions and complexation with various ligands present in river water, among which dissolved organic carbon (DOC) seems to be the most important. Overall results indicate that mercury is transported downstream from the mining area mainly as finely suspended material including colloids rather than in the dissolved phase. This riverine transport occurs mostly during short, but extreme hydro-meteorological conditions when remobilization of mercury from the river bed sediments occurs. A significant part of the mercury particulate phase in water corresponds to cinnabar particles. During its transport, important Hg transformation mechanisms that increase the risk of mercury uptake by biota take place, evidenced by the increase in the relative contribution of reactive mercury (Hg R ), dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) and monomethylmercury (MeHg) downstream from the Idrija mine. However, our data revealed relatively low methylation efficiency in this contaminated river system. We attribute this to the site specific physico-chemical conditions responsible for making inorganic mercury unavailable and limiting the capacity of methylating bacteria.
This study is a continuation of our previous study (Bavec et al., 2015), where the geochemical baseline levels of potentially harmful elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn) in Idrija ...top- and subsoil (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm) at 45 locations were reported. Here we summarise our previous work and present baseline levels of additional 33 elements (Ag, Al, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Ce, Cs, Fe, Ga, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Nb, P, Rb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, Y and Zr) in order to round off the fist systematic geochemical survey of soil in Idrija town and establish a data set of soil elements, which will serve as a baseline for monitoring future changes in the soil chemical composition of the studied area. The baseline levels were determined after aqua regia digestion, their statistical distribution was examined and the medians were compared to the recently established European grazing land and Maribor urban soil medians. To investigate relationships between elements, a correlation-matrix-based hierarchical clustering method was performed and the spatial distribution of their highest levels was examined. The results showed that in general, the median levels of elements in Idrija soil are mostly similar or slightly higher than in European and Maribor soil, with exception of Hg. Elements Al, Bi, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Ga, Hf, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Nb, Ni, Rb, S, Sc, Th, Ti, Tl, V, Y and Zr are enriched in the rural surroundings, while elements Ag, Ba, Cu, Hg, P, Pb, Se, Sb, Sn and Zn are enriched only partly in the rural surroundings, but mostly in the urban part of the study area. It is assumed that elements, which are enriched only in the rural surroundings, are of natural origin, while elements, which are enriched also in the urban area, are to a certain extent inflenced by anthropogenic activities.
The article focuses on the victims of the Partisan movement in the northern part of the Primorska region during the Second World War. The areas in question are what is today known as the ...municipalities of Bovec, Cerkno, Idrija, Kobarid, and Tolmin. Based on archival sources, it was found that such violence claimed 338 lives in this area. The data is still inconclusive.
The article deals with the position held by the Slovenian magazine Kaplje Drops in the Slovenian collective memory. Published in the town of Idrija between 1966 and 1972, i.e. in the period of party ...liberalism in former Yugoslavia, Kaplje was a publication from the periphery that ‘swam against the current’, although its role was almost entirely ignored. The article’s aim is therefore to determine how the magazine’s contributors represented and (re)produced Slovenian identity and its constitutive elements, and which forms and strategies of national(istic) discourse were used. The methodology is based on a critical discursive analysis of selected articles that touch on the above-mentioned themes from all 26 issues of the magazine, including a special issue released upon the twentieth anniversary of the date the magazine voluntarily came to an end.
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