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Water 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 33 parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, alkalinity as CaCO3, total hardness as CaCO3, total solids, total suspended matter, dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand with permanganate, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, P, PAH, PCBs, phenolic index, mineral oils, detergents, content of As, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn and Pb, sulfates, chlorides, fluorides, aerobic organotrophs, total coliforms, fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci). Determined average mean pH values and EC are within the reference values for class I surface water quality. The surface water in the study area is alkaline, with a mean pH value of 8.01. Depending on the location, other analyzed parameters correspond from I to V water quality classes. The ERI for As, Cd, Cr and Pb is low and for Mn is appreciable. The RI of the surface water in location 1 and 2 were moderate. In other locations, risk coefficients are low. [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]

In this paper we have looked into the qualitative analysis of coals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis includes the following characteristics: moisture, ash, combustible matter and lower heating value. From the statistic parameters we have determined: absolute range, arithmetic mean, standard deviation and variations coefficient. It has been shown that the coal characteristics have normal distribution. The analysis show that there are considerable deviations of ash characteristics: moisture (36.23%), ash (34.21%), combustible matter (16.15%), and lower heating value (25.16%) from the mean value which is shown by the variations coefficient. Large oscilations of mass portions: W, A, Vg, and Hd around the mean value can adversely influence the function of a boiler plant and an electric filter plant in thermal power plants in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which the mentioned types of coal burn. Large ash oscilations (34.21%) around the mean value point out to the inability of application of dry procedures of desulphurisation of smoke gasses due to the additional quantity of ash. It has been shown that the characteristics of Bosnian types of coal do not deviate a lot from the characteristics of coal in the sur rounding countries (coals of Serbia and Montenegro). The results can be used in analysis of coal combustion in thermal power plants, optimisation of electrical-filtre, reduction of SO2 in smoke gas, and other practical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]