Investigation of the last two centuries sedimentation dynamics in high-altitude lakes of Southern Carpathians, Romania.

This study investigates the last two centuries sedimentation dynamics in four high-altitude lakes located in Southern Carpathians, Romania. Furthermore, a novel approach is proposed for identifying the anthropic or natural underlying causes, by comparison of the acceleration of the change in sedimentation rate with a baseline growth rate trend provided by an isolated peat bog. The high-resolution chronologies were developed using the 210Pb dating technique and the CRS model. 137Cs alternative time-marker validated the age-depth models and reassured the quality of the results. The results indicated several short-interval high sedimentation events within the lake cores, yielding up to five times the average rate for the investigated period. The cause of the high sedimentation episodes was generally attributed to anthropic activities (primarily road construction) and extreme natural events. A first-order derivative equation was employed to plot the acceleration in the sedimentation rate of the lakes with the peat bog baseline. The discrepancies between the acceleration trends highlighted significant deviations from the natural variation tendencies and provided preliminary data regarding the underlying causes of the intense sedimentation periods.

Combining Contamination Indices and Multivariate Statistical Analysis for Metal Pollution Evaluation during the Last Century in Lacustrine Sediments of Lacu Sarat Lake, Romania.

Integrated study of both water and sediment in lakes provides important information regarding the human impact on the environment. The current work is focused on the correlation between age, source, composition, and degree of human intervention over the last 178 years and health impact of sediments from Lacu Sarat Lake (Romania), one of the most important balneo-climateric resorts in the country. The novelty relies on the fact that this is the first time the temporal patterns of metal contamination and the human health effects associated with the metal exposure from sediment core samples have been assessed. The sediment contamination status was determined by evaluating several indices, such as the enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, metal pollution index, and potential ecological risk index, etc. Results showed a significant accumulation of Cd, Cr, As and Ni and a major contribution of Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg, Cr as well as Cu to the potential acute toxicity. The sediment quality guidelines emphasized a risk concerning the life and proper development of benthic organisms in Lacu Sarat Lake. Moreover, the incidental ingestion lifetime carcinogenic risk values for As and Cr suggest a potential risk of developing cancer. A strong human impact was observed especially between 1950 and 1990, which can be attributed to the rapid economic growth and intensive industrial development strategies pursued by the communist political regime in Romania.

Investigation of the effect of anthropogenic land use on the Panazii Lake (Romania) catchment area using Cs-137 and Pb-210 radionuclides.

The problem of soil degradation has accentuated over recent decades. Aspects related to soil erosion and its relation to changes in land use as well as anthropogenic influence constitute a topic of great interest. The current study is focused on a soil erosion assessment in relation to land use activities in the Panazii Lake catchment area. Fallout radionuclides were used to provide information on soil erosion as well as redistribution rates and patterns. Variations in the sedimentation rate of the lake were also investigated as these reflect periods in which massive erosion events occurred in the lake catchment area. The novelty of this study is the construction of a timescale with regard to the soil erosion events to better understand the relationship between soil erosion and land use activities. In this study, 10 soil profiles and one sediment core from the lake were taken. Soil parameters were determined for each sample. The activities of 210Pb, 137Cs and 226Ra were measured by gamma spectroscopy. For low 210Pb activities, measurements via 210Po using an alpha spectrometer were performed. Soil erosion rates were determined by the 137Cs method and the sedimentation rate calculated by the Constant Rate of Supply (CRS) model. A soil erosion rate of 13.5 t·ha-1·yr-1 was obtained. Three distinct periods could be observed in the evolution of the sedimentation rate. For the first period, between 1880 and 1958, the average deposition rate was 9.2 tons/year, followed by a high deposition period (1960-1991) of 29.6 tons/year and a third period, consisting of the last 30 years, during which the sedimentation rate was 15.7 tons/year. These sedimentation rates fluctuated depending on the main land use activity, which can also be seen in the soil erosion rates that had almost doubled by the time agricultural activities were performed in the area.

Correction: Climate and land-use as the main drivers of recent environmental change in a mid-altitude mountain lake, Romanian Carpathians.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239209.].

Climate and land-use as the main drivers of recent environmental change in a mid-altitude mountain lake, Romanian Carpathians.

Recent decades have been marked by unprecendented environmental changes which threaten the integrity of freshwater systems and their ecological value. Although most of these changes can be attributed to human activities, disentagling natural and anthropogenic drivers remains a challenge. In this study, surface sediments from Lake Ighiel, a mid-altitude site in the Carpathian Mts (Romania) were investigated following high-resolution sedimentological, geochemical, environmental magnetic and diatom analyses supported by historical cartographic and documentary evidence. Our results suggest that between 1920 and 1960 the study area experienced no significant anthropogenic impact. An excellent correspondence is observed between lake proxy responses (e.g., growth of submerged macrophytes, high detrital input, shifts in diatom assemblages) and parameters tracking natural hydroclimate variability (e.g., temperature, NAO). This highlights a dominant natural hydroclimatic control on the lacustrine system. From 1960 however, the depositional regime shifted markedly from laminated to homogenous clays; since then geochemical and magnetic data document a trend of significant (and on-going) subsurface erosion across the catchment. This is paralleled by a shift in lake ecosystem conditions denoting a strong response to an intensified anthropogenic impact, mainly through forestry. An increase in detrital input and marked changes in the diatom community are observed over the last three decades, alongside accelerated sedimentation rates following enhanced grazing and deforestation in the catchment. Recent shifts in diatom assemblages may also reflect forcing from atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, a key recent drive of diatom community turnover in mountain lakes. In general, enhanced human pressure alongside intermittent hydroclimate forcing drastically altered the landscape around Lake Ighiel and thus, the sedimentation regime and the ecosystem's health. However, paleoenvironmental signals tracking natural hydroclimate variability are also clearly discernible in the proxy data. Our work illustrates the complex link between the drivers of catchment-scale impacts on one hand, and lake proxy responses on the other, highlighting the importance of an integrated historical and palaeolimnological approach to better assess lake system changes.

Ecosystem shift of a mountain lake under climate and human pressure: A move out from the safe operating space.

A multiproxy approach including chironomid, diatom, pollen and geochemical analyses was applied on short gravitational cores retrieved from an alpine lake (Lacul Bâlea) in the Southern Carpathians (Romania) to unveil how this lake responded to natural and anthropogenic forcing over the past 500 years. On the basis of chironomid and diatom assemblage changes, and supported by sediment chemical data and historical information, we distinguished two main phases in lake evolution. Before 1926 the lake was dominated by chironomids belonging to Micropsectra insignilobus-type and benthic diatoms suggesting well-oxygenated oligotrophic environment with only small-scale disturbance. We considered this state as the lake's safe operational space. After 1926 significant changes occurred: Tanytarsus lugens-type and T. mendax-type chironomids took over dominance and collector filterers increased until 1970 pointing to an increase in available nutrients. The diatom community showed the most pronounced change between 1950 and 1992 when planktonic diatoms increased. The highest trophic level was reconstructed between 1970 and 1992, while the indicator species of increasing nutrient availability, Asterionella formosa spread from 1982 and decreased rapidly at 1992. Statistical analyses evidenced that the main driver of the diatom community change was atmospheric reactive nitrogen (Nr) fertilization that drastically moved the community towards planktonic diatom dominance from 1950. The transformation of the chironomid community was primarily driven by summer mean temperature increase that also changed the dominant feeding guild from collector gatherers to collector filterers. Our results overall suggest that the speed of ecosystem reorganisation showed an unprecedented increase over the last 100 years; biological systems in many cases underwent threshold type changes, while several system components displayed non-hysteretic change between alternating community composition. We conclude that Lake Bâlea is outside of its safe operating space today. The main trigger of changes since 1926 was climate change and human impact acting synergically.

The path from geology to indoor radon.

It is generally accepted that radon emission is strongly influenced by the geological characteristics of the bedrock. However, transport in-soil and entry paths indoors are defined by other factors such as permeability, building and architectural features, ventilation, occupation patterns, etc. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the contribution of each parameter, from natural to man-made, on the radon accumulation indoors and to assess potential patterns, based on 100 case studies in Romania. The study pointed out that the geological foundation can provide a reasonable explanation for the majority of the values recorded in both soil and indoor air. Results also showed that older houses, built with earth-based materials, are highly permeable to soil radon. Energy-efficient houses, on the other hand, have a tendency to disregard the radon potential of the geological foundation, causing a higher predisposition to radon accumulation indoors and decreasing the general indoor air quality.

Anthropic influences on the sedimentation rates of lakes situated in different geographic areas.

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of natural and anthropic events occurring in the last 30 years in the catchment areas of four Romanian lakes (St. Anna Lake, Red Lake, Vârsolt Lake and Matita Lake) originating from four different geomorphologic areas. A total of eleven sediment cores have been processed for age and sedimentation rate determination using the 210Pb dating method. Total 210Pb was measured via alpha spectrometry by 210Po using PIPS detectors, while supported 210Pb was measured by 226Ra using HPGe detectors. Ages and sedimentation rates were calculated using the CRS model. The values of the sedimentation rates have grown multiply in the last three decades: 2.66 times in case of the St. Anna Lake (from 0.06 ± 0.01 g/cm2y to 0.16 ± 0.02 g/cm2y), up to 6.72 times in case of Red Lake (0.36 ± 0.04 g/cm2y to 2.42 ± 0.36 g/cm2y), 4.02 times in case of Vârsolt Lake (04 g/cm2y to 1.53 ± 0.18 g/cm2y) and up to 16.18 times in case of Matita Lake (0.27 ± 0.03 g/cm2y to 4.37 ± 0.32).

Sediment dynamics and heavy metal pollution history of the Cruhlig Lake (Danube Delta, Romania).

This is the first study reporting recent sedimentation rates data (e.g. the past 120-150 years) for the Cruhlig Lake situated in the Danube Delta. The aim of this study is to analyse the recent sedimentation rates using the (210)Pb dating method and identifying the heavy metal pollutants and their variability in time. Five sediment cores were taken with a gravity corer and - after drying the sliced samples-physical parameters, organic material and inorganic carbon content were determined. The total (210)Pb content was measured via (210)Po by alpha spectrometry, while supported (210)Pb was measured by (226)Ra (trough short life (222)Rn daughters) with HPGe detectors. Heavy metals were determined by ICP-MS; from the 64 measured elements, only exceeding values of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cs, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn are discussed. After applying the CRS model, ages and sedimentation rates were calculated. The average sedimentation rate of the Cruhlig Lake is 0.21 ± 0.02 g/cm(2)y, Minimum values (0.05 ± 0.003 g/cm(2)y) are registered along the eastern shoreline of the lake before 1913, while maximum values are recorded due to the flooding in 2006 in the western side (1.34 ± 0.12 g/cm(2)y). Recent sedimentation rates divide the lake into three areas: the secluded eastern near shore part (0.63 ± 0.07 g/cm(2)y), the centre of the lake (0.92 ± 0.05 g/cm(2)y) and the dynamic western area, where most sediment transport takes place (1.13 ± 0.01 g/cm(2)y). The sedimentation pattern proves this lake to be very sensitive to fluvial discharge fluctuations. The building of the Iron Gate dams (1972 and 1985) had a negative impact on the sedimentation decreasing it with 58.74%, while after 1989 these values grew 2.25 times. The lake received a quantity of sediment rich in heavy metals in 1992 ± 3 y, which settled mostly on the eastern part. Values for Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Pb and Zn are up to five times higher in 1980 ± 5 y in the eastern part of the lake, while Cd, Co, Cr and Ni are twice as high as the values measured for the marine substrate. Values of As show increasing of up to 150% in 2006 ± 2 y throughout the whole surface of the lake.

A high-resolution map of gamma dose rates in Cluj County, Romania using LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors.

Outdoor gamma radiation measurements in Cluj County, Romania have been performed using solid-state thermoluminescent detectors in order to develop a high-resolution database for natural gamma dose rates. Integrated measurements have been carried out for an exposure time of minimum 3 weeks. According to European Union requirements, the territory has been divided into 69 grids of 10 × 10 km. The cells were monitored using LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors. For two locations the results were 136 ± 7 and 150 ± 7 nGy h(-1), respectively. These results can be explained by the existent geological substrate. The values ranged from 56 ± 4 to 150 ± 7 nGy h(-1), with an average value of 91 ± 2 nGy h(-1), being in agreement with the 2008 United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) Report. A high-resolution map of gamma dose rates in Cluj County is presented for the first time.

Soil and building material as main sources of indoor radon in Baita-Stei radon prone area (Romania).

Radon contributes to over than 50% of the natural radiation dose received by people. In radon risk areas this contribution can be as high as 90-95%, leading to an exposure to natural radiation 5-10 times higher than normal. This work presents results from radon measurements (indoor, soil and exhalation from building materials) in Baita-Stei, a former uranium exploitation area in NW Romania. In this region, indoor radon concentrations found were as high as 5000 Bq m(-3) and soil radon levels ranged from 20 to 500 kBq m(-3). An important contribution from building materials to indoor radon was also observed. Our results indicate two independent sources of indoor radon in the surveyed houses of this region. One source is coming from the soil and regular building materials, and the second source being uranium waste and local radium reached material used in building construction. The soil as source of indoor radon shows high radon potential in 80% of the investigated area. Some local building materials reveal high radon exhalation rate (up to 80 mBq kg(-1) h(-1) from a sandy-gravel material, ten times higher than normal material). These measurements were used for the radon risk classification of this area by combining the radon potential of the soil with the additional component from building materials. Our results indicate that Baita-Stei area can be categorized as a radon prone area.

Thorough investigations on indoor radon in Baita radon-prone area (Romania).

A comprehensive radon survey has been carried out in Baita radon-prone area, Transylvania, Romania, in 4 localities (Baita, Nucet, Fînate, and Cîmpani) situated in the vicinity of former Romanian uranium mines. Indoor radon concentrations have been measured in 1128 ground floor rooms and cellars of 303 family houses by using CR-39 diffusion type radon detectors. The annual average of indoor radon concentration for Baita area was found to be 241±178 Bq m(-3), which is about two times higher than the average value of 126 Bq m(-3), computed for Romania. About 28% of investigated houses exceed the reference level of radon gas in dwellings of 300 Bq m(-3). The indoor radon measurements on each house have been carried out in several rooms simultaneously with the aim of obtaining a more detailed picture on the exposure to radon in the studied area. An analysis on the variability of radon levels among floors (floor-to-floor variation) and rooms (room-to-room variation) and also the influence of factors like the presence of cellar or the age of the building is presented. The coefficient of variation (CV) within ground floor rooms of the same house (room-to-room variation) ranged between 0.9 and 120.8%, with an arithmetic mean of 46.2%, a large variability among rooms within surveyed dwellings being clearly identified. The mean radon concentration in bedrooms without cellar was higher than in bedrooms above the cellar, the difference being statistically significant (t test, one tail, p<0.001, n=82). For houses built during 1960-1970 an increasing trend for radon levels was observed, but overall there was no significant difference in indoor radon concentrations by age of dwelling (one-way ANOVA test, p>0.05).

The determination of absolute intensity of 234mPa's 1001 keV gamma emission using Monte Carlo simulation.

The 1001 keV gamma line of (234m)Pa became important in gamma spectrometric measurements of samples with (238)U content with the advent of development of HpGe detectors of great dimension and high efficiency. In this study the emission probability of the 1001 keV (Y(gamma)) peak of (234m)Pa, was determined by gamma-ray spectrometric measurements performed on glass with Uranium content using Monte Carlo simulation code for efficiency calibration. This method of calculation was not applied for the values quoted in literature so far, at least to our knowledge. The measurements gave an average of 0.836 +/- 0.022%, a value that is in very good agreement to some of the recent results previously presented.