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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed from anthropogenic activities, i.e. industrial emissions, incomplete combustion of petroleum, coal and other fossil fuels and other industrial and domestic activities. Research areas of this study are four representative locations in the industrial complex, in the city of Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main objective of the paper is to determine the ecological risk and to assess probable sources of PAHs contamination in soil and groundwater. The results of this study reflect the effects of coal combustion (pyrogenic origin), petrogenic and biomass origin and may provide basic data for the remediation of PAHs in the location. The ecological risk in soil (at depths of 30, 100, 200, 300 and 400 cm) and groundwater is determined. The mean values of ecological risk in soil and groundwater decreased with soil depth. Values of RQ(NCs) for groundwater were found at high ecological risk, for Ant, Chr, DahA, Acy, Pyr, BaA, Phe, Flo, Nap, Ace and Fluo, with values 28.57, 20.59, 300.00, 242.86, 185.71, 1700.0, 76.67, 53.33, 15.83, 100.00 and 57.14, respectively. ∑16PAH indicated high ecological risk for most PAHs, which decreased with soil depth. The value of RQ(NCs) for ΣPAHs in groundwater indicates high ecological risk (ΣPAHs ≥ 800 and RQ(MPCs) ≥ 1). This is the first study on the ecological risk of PAHs in soil and groundwater in industrial soils in Banja Luka and provides baseline information for further studies and additional investigations of this industrial complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the industrial zone, near the center of Banja Luka and river Vrbas, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the presented research, the total concentration of the PAHs in research area ranged from 0.356 to 11.49 mg/kg, with mean values of 1.99 mg/kg indicated that soil was heavily contaminated (max limit 1 mg/kg) and polluted with pollutant of class III ranging from 1 to 5 mg/kg. The possible sources of PAHs in the soils were estimated by using diagnostic ratios (LMW/HMW (low/high molecular weights), Fluo/(Fluo+Pyr) (fluoranthene/(fluoranthene+pyrene)), BaA/(BaA+Chr) (benzo[a]anthracene/(benzo[a] anthracene+chrysene)) and IcdP/(IcdP+BghiP) (indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene/(indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene + benzo[g,h,i]perylene))) and factor analysis (principal component analysis). The ratios showed that the PAHs in soil have both pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. Pyrogenic source is predominant. Petrogenic sources also have a significant contribution in the study area. Principal component analysis has shown that both industrial and human activities are the cause of pollution. The first factor is in relation to burning (pyrogenic origin). This factor explained 76.72% of total variance. The second factor is petrogenic, with 7.81% of total variance. PAHs in research area is a result of in general anthropogenic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil samples were collected near the thermal power plant and coal mine (Gacko, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and analyzed to measure the concentration of 16 toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Hg, As, Mo, Co, Ba, V, Tl, B, S and F). The pollutant with the highest mean concentration was B (3,210.02 mg/kg), followed by the Ba (242 mg/kg), Zn (109.50 mg/kg), V (90 mg/kg), Ni (82.10 mg/kg), Cr (60.22 mg/kg), Cu (46.28 mg/kg), Pb (38.90 mg/kg) and Co (19.25 mg/kg). From the evaluation of the soil pollution indices (contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), ecological risk assessment (ERI), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and degree of soil load), it can be seen that the studied soil samples in most cases are contaminated. CF values indicate that all values for Cu, Co, Ba and Va in all samplers, Ni in three samplers and Zn in one sampler indicate a moderate degree of contamination. In all soil samples, the values PLI indicates the presence of soil pollution. This study reveals that Ni for RI index is the toxic metal that poses the highest ecological threat. In according average values for Igeo for all toxic metals are >5, it can be concluded that the soil belongs to the class "extremely polluted". The values of degree of soil load for Ba and V load show that V class is a land of very high load (limit values in according of national legislation for Ba is 160 mg/kg and for V is 42 mg/kg). Values for Ni load show that IV class is a land of high loads (limit value 35 mg/kg). In accordance with the obtained results, it is necessary to prioritize the work on sustainable solutions to mitigate the current risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and groundwater at a former cellulose factory in the city of Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The objective of the study was to determine the concentrations of 16 PAHs in soil and groundwater at the site. The research area consisted of four representative locations in the industrial complex where the soil was sampled at depths of 0.3, 1, 2, 3, and 4 m and groundwater was sampled at 3.10, 2.50 and 3 m for two samples. In addition to the 16 PAHs, soil organic matter content and pH were also measured. The sum of the 16 PAHs (Σ16PAHs) in soil ranged from 0.99 to 2.24, 0.34 to 0.46, 0.24 to 0.32, 0.13 to 0.27 and 0.13 to 0.47 mg/kg for the 0.3, 1, 2, 3, and 4 m depths, respectively. Mean values were 1.70, 0.40, 0.28, 0.20 and 0.26 mg/kg, respectively. The Σ16PAHs in groundwater ranged from 0.23 to 4.50 mg/m³, with a mean value of 1.42 mg/m³. The concentrations of all 16 PAHs in the soil decreased with depth and there was no significant correlation between the concentrations of PAHs in the soil and groundwater. The concentrations of PAHs in the soil surface (0.3 m) and groundwater indicate that this industrial site is heavily contaminated and might need remedial action. Factor analysis indicates three sources of contamination, i.e. principal component (PC) PC1 (pyrogenic), PC2 (petrogenic) and PC3 (biomass), with 52.39%, 26.14% and 8.46% of the total variance, respectively. The results of this study reflect the effects of coal combustion (pyrogenic origin), petrogenic and biomass origin and may provide basic data for the remediation of PAHs in the location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]