Arsenic distribution, concentration and speciation in groundwater of the Osijek area, eastern Croatia

Groundwater is the main source of drinking water for the population of nearly 200,000 people in eastern Croatia. The largest town in the region is Osijek whose citizens are supplied with drinking water obtained from groundwater from the “Vinogradi” well field. This study investigated and determined As occurrence in groundwater of the Osijek area. Groundwater samples were taken from 18 water wells and 12 piezometers with a depth ranging between 21 and 200 m. Over the 10-a period to 2007, a mean As concentration of 240 μg L−1 was found. There was no statistically significant secular change in concentration over that period, however small but significant seasonal variations were noted, with the highest seasonal As concentrations over the period May 2006–February 2007 being observed in summer. The predominant As species observed was As(III), constituting 85% and 93% of total As in piezometers and water wells, respectively. Higher concentrations of As tended to be found in deeper wells with the mean As concentration in shallow groundwater (<50 m) and deep groundwater (>50 m) being 27 μg L−1, and 205 μg L−1, respectively. Geochemically, the groundwaters show similarities to those in other parts of the Pannonian Basin. Arsenic(tot) is weakly correlated with pH and Fe, negatively correlated with Mn and has no significant correlation with any of EC, COD-Mn or alkalinity.

Research highlights
► High As(tot) concentrations, up to 358 μg L−1 were found in Osijek’s groundwaters, eastern Croatia.
► Strong depth dependence of As(tot) concentrations in Osijek’s groundwaters were observed.
► Seasonal-dependencies of As(tot) were found and highest concentrations being found in the summer.
► The arsenic speciation is dominated by inorganic arsenic (III).