Seasonal variations in the concentrations of selected heavy metals and radionuclides in Sava River sediments upstream and downstream of NPP Krsko

In order to estimate the influence of a nuclear power plant and other industrial and agricultural anthropogenic sources on the quality of Sava River sediments, samples taken from seven locations (one upstream and six downstream of the Krsko NPP) were characterized. Seasonal variations in the sediment composition were determined on the basis of four samplings taken during the year 2004 (in February, May, October and December). Total concentrations of the elements Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Co and Pb in the sediment fractions less than 0.5 mm have been measured by source excited energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), while 40K, 137Cs, 131I, 7Be, 228Th, Th(228Ra), U(234Th), 226Ra and 210Pb were determined by gamma spectrometry. Mineralogical examinations of the samples were performed using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method.