MONITORING THE BOSNA AND KRIVAJA RIVERS POLLUTION BY HEAVY METALS

Water pollution by heavy metals due to industrial activities and technological development poses a serious health and environmental problem. Heavy metals are toxic, non-biodegradable, accumulate in living ecosystems and have a long half-life in all environments. Unlike the Krivaja River that flows through rural areas of great natural beauty for the majority of its flow, the entire flow of the Bosna River receives wastewater from households of numerous cities, industrial wastewater and urban discharges. The purpose of this paper is to determine a potential presence of heavy metals - mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of conducted analyses indicate a presence of heavy metals in water. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 3.00 to 3.16 mu g/l, lead concentration from 3.90 to 4.20 mu g/l, and mercury concentrations from 0.50 to 0.60 mu g /l.), all of which was within the limits and could not disturb the ecological balance. The Bosna River at was classified as "good" or "moderate", while the Krivaja River at Kovaci in the Municipality of Zavidovici was classified as "good" pursuant to Article 32, para 3 of the Water Act of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Therefore, the results confirmed the health safety of drinking water. Monitoring the input of pollutants into aquatic ecosystems over a longer period of time and in different periods is necessary for the determination of pollution sources and prevention of potential consequences for the ecosystem and human health