『Abstract
Results of comprehensive geochemical mapping and thematic studies
of the Slovak territory (rocks, soils, stream sediments, groundwaters,
biomass, and radioactivity) in the half of the 1990s led to several
new research programmes in Slovakia, within the frame of which
new methodologies for geochemical data evaluation and map visualization
were elaborated. This study describes the application and elaboration
of data from the Geochemical Atlas of the Slovak Republic at national
and regional levels. Based on the index of environmental risk
(IER = ΣPEC/PNEC), the level of contamination
for the geological component of the environment in Slovakia was
evaluated. Approximately 10.5％ of Slovakia's territory was characterized
as being environmentally disturbed to highly disturbed. In the
areas where environmental loadings have accumulated, 14 regions
where environmental risks existed due to high element concentrations
were defined. The model calculations of health risk estimates
based on the databases of the Geochemical Atlas for groundwater
and soils indicate that the possible risk occurrence of carcinogenic
diseases from groundwater arsenic contents is high in more than
10％ of Slovakia, whereas the chronic risk is negligible. To determinate
the background and threshold levels a combined statistical-geochemical
approach was developed and applied as an example for groundwater
at the national level as well as for single groundwater bodies.
The results of statistical method application for the whole groundwater
body (GBW) were compared with the background values for anthropogenically
non-influenced areas in GBW. Final background value took into
account time variations and spatial distribution of the element
in GBW. Furthermore, based on the database from the Geochemical
Atlas for groundwater, groundwater bodies potentially at qualitative
risk were delineated for the whole of Slovakia. From a total of
101 groundwater bodies 17 were characterized as being at risk
and 22 as being at possible risk.
Keywords: Geochemical atlas; Environmental risk assessment; Health
risk assessment; Background and threshold values』
Introduction
Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia
Environmental risk assessment and environmental geochemistry regionalization
Health risk assessment
Estimation of background and threshold levels
Statistical approach
Geochemical approach
Delineation of groundwater bodies potentially at risk
Conclusions
References