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A new approach using hydrochemical characterization of mineral water in Serbia was applied in this paper. After field research and groundwater sampling, laboratory measurements were conducted. Trace and ultratrace elements in 174 samples of mineral water were analyzed using HR ICP–MS and methods to determine gross alpha/beta activities were applied. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used on selected variables: major ions (Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, HCO3, SO4), Si, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), pH and Eh. Results showed that variability of chemical characteristics, and diverse mineral and thermal water types were grouped into six clusters. Geochemical conditions of each cluster were considered in detail in terms of basic hydrochemical parameters, geological characteristics, and the contents of particular elements. There were certain regularities among the separated groups. Water differed in temperatures, dissolved mineral substances, pH, Eh values and gas content, which indicated different hydrogeological conditions. Variations among clusters in natural radioactivity, the content of essential elements and rare earth elements (REE) are also discussed.

For the present study, 172 groundwater samples (collected from wells and natural springs in Serbia) were analyzed for different chemical parameters including uranium. For each groundwater sample, information was compiled about the basic parameters of its chemical composition. Most of the samples were found to be of the Na – HCO3 and Ca, Mg − HCO3 water types, while only a few were classified as the Ca, Mg – SO4 or Na − Cl type. HR–ICP–MS is an analytical technique used for uranium determinations. The measured concentrations of uranium were in the range from 0.0005 μg/L to 25.34 μg/L.