@conference{
author = "Šolević Knudsen, Tatjana and Ilić, Mila and Milić, Jelena and Avdalović, Jelena and Bulatović, Sandra and Marić, Nenad and Vrvić, Miroslav",
year = "2023",
abstract = "The aim of this study was to investigate the environmental risk from the gasoline range volatile
organic contaminants in the Sava river aquifer. The investigated area is located in New
Belgrade, in the vicinity of the largest heating plant in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Our
previous research on the oil pollutants in the groundwater at this locality was focused on the
origin and spatial distribution of these contaminants, and estimation of potential human
health risks from exposure to these compounds. [1] The purpose of our present study is a Tier
I Environmental risk assessment in this part of the aquifer.
Groundwater samples were collected from 28 hydrogeological boreholes. Preliminary
analyses of the organic compounds extracted from the groundwater samples were conducted
by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID), and by gas chromatography
– mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed and
identified by headspace gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. Chemicals of concern were
quantified by headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID).
In the groundwater samples analyzed, the most frequently detected VOCs were from the
group of the gasoline range organics. Concentrations of the individual VOCs ranged from
below detection limits to 5.2 mg/L. For each of the compounds quantified, the Risk Quotient
(RQ) was calculated as the ratio of the measured concentration of that compound in the
groundwater sample and the lowest Predicted Non-Effect Concentration for freshwater
aquatic organisms (PNEC). The PNEC values were adopted from the European chemicals
agency’s (ECHA) Registration Dossier database. [2] At some of the sampling points, the
detected concentrations of VOCs were higher than that of the PNEC values with resulting RQ
> 1. Considering the fact that the VOC compounds analyzed were present as mixtures, the
mixture RQ was calculated (as a sum of the individual RQs) for each sampling point. Out of 28
sampling points, at 7 of them the mixture RQs were higher than 1 which indicates a potentially
medium to high ecological risk from these compounds in this part of the aquifer.
In addition to the conclusion from our previous study on the human risk assessment from
exposure to the volatile organic compounds in the groundwater at this location, [1] this
research emphasizes a necessity for a continuous monitoring of the water quality in the
investigated area.",
publisher = "Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers",
journal = "Book of Abstracts - 28th Croatian Meeting of Chemists and Chemical Engineers (28HSKIKI), March 28-31, 2023, Rovinj, Croatia",
title = "Environmental risk assessment of volatile organic contaminants in the Sava river aquifer, Belgrade, Serbia",
pages = "50-50",
url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_cer_6770"
}