Study of Potentially Toxic Elements Uptake into Organs of Quercus spp. from Copper Deposits in Slovakia, Italy and Portugal.

The article is focused on the application of Energy dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy as a specific method to determine the contents of potentially toxic elements and its spread in plant tissues. As a model species, Quercus spp. were selected. In order to compare the obtained results with previous research, four well-described abandoned Cu-deposits were selected for sampling: Lubietová (Slovakia), Libiola and Caporciano (Italy), and São Domingos (Portugal). The results of micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry confirm the irregular contamination of Quercus spp. by potentially toxic elements. The level of contamination is the highest predominantly in the root cortex, where is also the highest Ca contents (with exception of São Domingos). At Lubietová and Caporciano, high Ni content was described in branches cortex, in branches mesoderm also Fe, Cu and Zn. At the same time, the inhibition influence of Ca was also confirmed regarding the input of these elements into plants.

Mercury contamination from historical mining territory at Malachov Hg-deposit (Central Slovakia).

Environmental contamination caused by mercury is a serious problem worldwide. The study was conducted in order to identify Hg contamination in soil, technosoil from dumps, groundwater, and surface water in the surroundings of the abandoned Hg deposit of Malachov in Central Slovakia. Soil from the Malachovský brook valley was classified as cambi-soil (rendzina). The highest Hg concentrations (44.24 mg kg(-1)) were described in the soil from the mining area at the Vel'ká Studna locality. In the groundwater, the maximal Hg content is 0.84 µg L(-1), and in the surface water it is 394 µg L(-1). The speciation study proved that in most samples, Hg occurs in the form of cinnabarite. The release of Hg into the environment as a consequence of weathering is limited.