HEAVY METALS IN THE KONIN LAKES SYSTEM
Elżbieta Królak*, Jakub P. Pyka**, Bogusław Zdanowski**
*Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biology,
University of Podlasie, Siedlce, Poland
**Department of Hydrobiology, The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland
ABSTRACT. The aim of the current research project was to analyze the contents of heavy metals in tissues of Vallisneria spiralis (L.), Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea), and Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) and in the bottom sediments of the Konin lakes system located in the vicinity of the Konin and Pątnów power plants (central Poland). It was determined that the mussels occurring in the studied lakes accumulate higher quantities of heavy metals in comparison with species from the same family that occur in unpolluted lakes. V. spiralis cumulated higher quantities of zinc, copper, cadmium, and lead than did submerged vegetation in basins that were not exposed to power plant pollution. The contents of lead and copper in the bottom sediments of the Konin lakes system exceed levels that are accepted as the norm for Polish lakes.
Key words: HEAVY METALS, VALLISNERIA SPIRALIS, SINANODONTA WOODIANA, DREISSENA POLYMORPHA, BOTTOM SEDIMENTS, KONIN LAKES
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Elżbieta Królak, Akademia Podlaska, Instytut Biologii, Katedra Ekologii i Ochrony Środowiska, ul. Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Tel.+48 25 6431217; e-mail: kruell@02.pl