Marine sediments are very important for transport, fate and influence of heavy metals in marine ecosystem and therefore they represent good indicator of its ecological status. A great attention has been given in the last two decades in the Mediterranean region to the determination of heavy metals concentration in marine sediments through the monitoring programs, as well as to the studies of heavy metals distribution and their effects on biota. This paper presents the concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn determined by EDPXRF method, in the surficial sediment samples taken from six location in the coastal region of the South East Adriatic and their distribution in the investigated area. It can be noticed the influence of the Bojana river regarding the content and distribution of selected heavy metals.

This paper presents the results of assessment of dredging activities at the Romanian side of the channel on the quality of water and sediment in the Begej channel (in Serbia). Sediment monitoring results have pointed to the increasing content of metals in surface sediments, as well as increased concentrations of some metals (Cd, Ni and Cr) compared to the period from 2008. Results of the water quality after the dredging at the Romanian side shows low metal concentrations, which is probably caused by coprecipitation of metal in the iron in forms of amorphous and hydrated oxide. Monitoring of water and sediment should be conducted continously through the year in order to follow the trend of sediment and water quality and targeted when we know the exact time of some of the activities in the channel.