In order to collect information about the presence of priority and other substances whose quality standards are defined by Directive 2008/105/EC, the water and sediment quality monitoring was carried out in 6 sampling locations in four rivers and 14 sampling locations in protected areas in AP Vojvodina. The waters of the Carska Wetland, Ludas Lake and Danube River exceeded the quality standards for pentachlorobenzene, while the quality standard for cadmium was only exceeded in Carska Wetland. The priority substances detected in the sediment were lead, nickel, mercury, trifluralin, isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, 4-octylphenol, naphthalene, anthracene, fluoranthene, benzo(b)-and benzo(k)-flouranthene, benzo(g,h,i)-perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene.

Research macroinvertebrates in the lower reaches of the River Veternica was conducted during 2008 in spring and summer season on nine sites, in period of reduced outflow of water from the Lake Barje, when the water level is often reduced to the biological minimum. The presence of 91 taxa from 13 groups of macrozoobenthos was detected. Groups of Diptera, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera were presented with 18, while Megaloptera, Plesoptera and Nematomorpha with one taxon each. The spring has been allocated 69 and 70 taxa in summer. The average was separated 17 taxa. Average number of macrozoobenthos was 1440 ind/square m per site. The few types of macroinvertebrates were very abundant at the site before the river confluence into the South Morava River. Insects made up 66.4% of the total number of individuals, especially the numerous groups of Diptera with 45.7%, while the share of the group Aquatic amounted 31%. The largest shares of the total abundance of taxa were as follows: Chironomus thumma with 28.16%, Limnedrilus hoffmeisteri with 11.2% and Tubifex tubifex with 6.89% and Caenis macrura from 5.2%. The structural parameters indicate that diversity of macrozoobenthos reduces in downstream direction, reflecting degradation of ecosystems.

Since the year 2004 the water reservoir Kraljevac has been recognized as a Special nature reserve. Investigations of the water reservoir were done during the autumn (November) of 2009 at three localities. on the basis of the results obtained in this study Kraljevac reservoir water is moderately polluted and correspond to classes 2nd and 2nd-3rd based on physical, chemical, microbiological and hydrobiological parameters.

This paper presents results of measuring the contents of certain bio-indicators in samples of digestive gland and lung of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The results were obtained in the framework of the Program for monitoring ecological status in Montenegro during the 2009 and 2010 year. Biomonitoring program was conducted in accordance with the LBS Protocol (Protocol on the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-based sources and land activities) and the criteria MED POL Programme (Mediterranean Pollution Control), which is compliant with the requirements of the European Environment Agency (EEA) and has established a system of reporting and data exchange with the EEA. The program includes the analysis of biomarkers in Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarc, 1819) (mussels), and dynamic sampling is 2 times a year (March and September). In order to assess the spatial distribution and temporal trends of pollution, followed by the response of various biomarkers presented at two positions in the coastal waters of Montenegro (Dobrota and Bijela) and three positions in Slovenia (bays Piran, Strunjan and Koper). Biomarker responses showed no difference between the positions of the different ecological status.

Concentration of lead (Pb), lame (Cr), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) were detrmined in Cystoseira algae collected from the Montenegrin mediolittoroal, during the spring 2007. Samples of three species of Cystoseira algae (C. amentacea, C. barbata and C. compressa) were analyzed in order to have information on bioaccumulation of these elements and possibility to use these algae as biomonitors for heavy metal pollution. The data obtained for heavy metals were similar with other area of Mediterranean Sea, with exception for significantly higher concentration of copper, on Budva location.

The study aims to examine source apportionment of heavy metals of the surface sediments in the less than 63 micro m size fraction. An assessment of metals marine pollution was done in the sediment collected from ten locations along Montenegrin coast. The samples were dried and acid-digested and the metal contents (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni) were determined using a flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results were compared with the literature data from Mediterranean countries.

Species belong to class Holothuriidae play significant role in the transmission of energy within the sea bottom biocoenoses. Their abundance and distribution have high impact on the biocoenoses dynamic and at the same time it can be use as indicator of the anthropogenic influence on marine environment. Data present in the paper are results of the investigation of their distribution on the Montenegrin shelf and comparison with neighboring area. Obtained results show presence of six species, and two of them are for the first time recorded for a given area.

The aim if this study was to assess the distribution of mercury in water, suspended particulate matter, surface sediments and biota from the Sado estuary, which, for the most part, is classified as a natural reserve, so as to evaluate its environmental quality status in terms of mercury contamination. Besides the diffuse sources of mercury coming into the Sado estuary, there are also additional contributions from the northern industrial zone and from the urban areas within the system. Applying national and international guidelines to different environmental matrices, the results obtained show that the system does not seem to be under environmental risk as far as mercury contamination is concerned. These quality guidelines can be used to rank and prioritise sites of concern. Hence, the area at the northern industrialised area deserves particular attention. The concentration of mercury in sediments of this area (0.54 mg kg⁻¹) simultaneously succeeded the European Union Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD) reference value, the OSPAR Convention Ecotoxicological Assessment Criteria (EACs) and is classified as class 2 in degree of contamination by the National legislation, which implies some legal restrictive rules. Considering the stations close to urbanised areas, one exceeded the OSPAR EACs for dissolved mercury, whilst the other exceeded the EU-WFD reference value for mercury concentrations in sediments. No statistical significant relations were found between mercury concentrations in biota (Ulva sp, Hediste diversicolor, Scrobicularia plana, Cerstoderma edule and Carcinus maenas) and in the abiotic matrices (sediment and water column, including mercury in its dissolved form and associated to suspended particulate matter). This paper provides an overview of the guidelines for Hg proposed for a considerable number of coastal systems of the northern hemisphere and highlights the complex interactions of Hg in the different environmental compartments in low contaminated systems.

To investigate the possible contamination of groundwater by wastewater leaked from the underground sewage network, water samples from 29 monitoring wells, drilled at strategic locations across Kuwait City and the adjacent residential areas, were analyzed for their inorganic and organic constituents including isotopic composition (oxygen-18 and deuterium) that can be used as tracers for source identification. As a non-conventional method, statistical processing in the form of hierarchical cluster and discriminant function analyses of the inorganic and organic data was used to group the wells according to the degree of possible contamination of groundwater. It was concluded from this analysis that more than half of the wells (17) showed little evidence of such contamination. Sample from only one of the wells suggested high degree of contamination (concentrations of total coliform bacteria (TCB) and fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) >2,000 MPN/100 ml and boron (B) concentration >11 mg/l) whereas another well appeared significantly contaminated (TCB > 2,000 MPN/100 ml; FCB > 900 MPN/100 ml; B > 4 mg/l). Three of the wells were possibly contaminated (1,000 < TCB < 2,000 MPN/100 ml; 15 < FCB < 500 MPN/100 ml; 3 < B < 11.5 mg/l), and the rest of the seven wells were classified as possibly not contaminated (TCB > 2,400 MPN/100 ml; FCB < 40 MPN/100 ml; B < 5 mg/l). The overall conclusion was that the leakage from sewage network was affecting groundwater in localized areas only. Isotope data, available for water samples from eight of the monitoring wells, tended to support the aforesaid conclusions. However, because of the use of bailing as the sampling method and lack of actual leakage surveillance, further studies need to be carried out to strengthen the reliability of these findings.

Here, we addressed biodegradation vs. volatilization processes, and also bioavailability limitations during biopile remediation of soil initially contaminated by more than 5,000 mg/kg of hydrocarbons. In order to select bioremediation strategies, we first conducted a biotreatability study, which included geochemical, textural, and microbiological characterization of the soil matrix. Next, we implemented five bioremediation approaches onsite in real-scale biopiles. In order to monitor hydrocarbon depletion and to distinguish between biological and non-biological processes, we analyzed chemical biomarkers by means of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. In addition, a comprehensive study of soil grain size and its implications on bioavailability were studied. Furthermore, the evolution of microbial populations was also examined. Two of the strategies implemented in the biopiles (the combination of a slow-release fertilizer and a surfactant, and the use of an oleophilic fertilizer respectively) reduced the soil hydrocarbon content to under 500 mg/kg in 5 months. Additional results from this study indicate that volatilization was the predominant degradation process for light hydrocarbons (below 12 carbon atoms), whereas heavier compounds were mainly biodegraded. However, even in the most favorable situation, a residual concentration of hydrocarbons linked to the finer fraction of the soil was found.