BIOMONITORING OF WATER POLLUTION WITH ELODEA CANADENSIS. A CASE STUDY OF THREE SMALL POLISH RIVERS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POLLUTION

摘要

Concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and S were measured in water, river bottom sediments and in Elodea canadensis sampled in three rivers from the Odra catchment (Row Polski, Kanal Polski and Row Slaski). E. canadensis was used to evaluate the spatial distribution of elements in the examined rivers, and contained elevated levels of the metals Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn, originating from municipal sewage. Significant correlations between concentrations of Al, Cr and Cu in river bottom sediments and plants prove the potential of E. canadensis species for pollution monitoring, especially for these metals in the examined rivers.