Partner No: 013
Scientific team: Geological survey - Sarajevo, Ustanička 11, 71210 Ilidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To collect data about damaged and destroyed facilities with oil with PCBs and also other even more
dangerous POPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Much better determining the hydrogeological fate of PCBs and other POPs compounds in the most
threatened areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina polluted with the POPs. Special emphasis will be paid for the
sensitive karstic media of these areas.
To recognize in the field directly the technical state of electro transformers and capacitors with pyralene
with special attention to spilling of this oil into the environment.
To sample soil and sediments from the sites thought polluted with PCBs and to analyze its content.
To perform the atmospheric monitoring samples with POPs in several sites, which are in surroundings to the
ground argumentative contaminated with POPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina to establish real data about level
of contamination of this very important part of human ecosphere.
Activities
Work package 2
The level and hydrogeological fate of some POPs in several Croatian, Bosnian and
Herzegovina and Kosovo areas as a consequence of war damages
To collect data about suspicious locations of PCBs spills in the environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina from
damaged and destroyed electro transformer stations and capacitors as a consequence of war from 1992 – 1995.
Much better understanding the hydrogeological fate of PCBs and other POPs compounds in the most jeopardized
locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina polluted with the POPs. Geological and hydrogeological recognition in the
fieldwork will be carried out with collecting relevant data of geological, structural and hydrogeological features.
Work package 4
The level and atmospheric transportation of some POPs in Croatian, Bosnian and
Herzegovina, and FR Yugoslavian areas as consequence of war damages
POPs will be monitored in the atmospheric samples from several sites which are close to the ground and thought
to be contaminated with POPs. The sampling campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina was performed by Masaryk
University in the cooperation with Geological survey – Sarajevo. The exact locations of samplings were chosen
by collaborating partners on the base of results of the soil pollution levels obtained after investigation Partners
005 and 013.
Results achieved
Work package 2
Collecting data about possible PCB spills in the environment during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from
1992 - 1995 was the basic task from the beginning of APOPSBAL project and this work was continued during
the third year of the Project also. Special attention has been paid to vulnerable karstic areas in Bosnian high
mountains where there were damaged and destroyed military communicative relays with facilities with pyralene
and all other places where E.T.S. and capacitor batteries were damaged or destroyed which could be source of
various very dangerous persistent organic pollutants.
About 500 electrical transformer stations and capacitors in B&H, mostly within Federation, were damaged or
destroyed during the war 1992 – 1995, but their locations and coordinates are not known. There are no situation
maps of E.T.S., types of oils, the quantity of the oil leaked into the environment, especially the technical
elements on leakage of oils with PCBs are not known. EPBiH and EPHZHB, the owners of the most of the
damaged transformers (cca 460) do not have the exact data on the transformer stations with oils with PCBs, as
well as on PCBs media leakage into the environment. According to them it is necessary to carry out the detailed
analyses of the damaged facilities in order to examine if there are PCBs existing. According to the information
from EPRS there were no transformer stations damages.
However, most of the transformers in ownership of EPBIH and EPHZHB did not contain the oil with PCBs. The
damaged stations with oil leakage into the environment are as follows: 1) 282 damaged E.T.S. in EPBiH, 2) 181
damaged E.T.S. in EPHZHB, 3) 7 RTV relays, 4) 8 electrical transformers in factory Vogošća near Sarajevo, 5)
capacitors in coal mines in surrounding of Tuzla and 6) military relays in high Bosnian mountains (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Map of locations of suspicious PCB leakage into environment from damaged transformer stations in
Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war 1992 – 1995
Choosing of locations for soil and sediments sampling
Soil and sediments sampling was performed on soil, aquatic – river sediments (58 samples) and fish around
Bihać, Sarajevo, Mostar, Konjic,Tuzla, Tešanj, Olovo, Vitez, Visoko, Kakanj, Travnik in cooperation of Partner
005 and 013 under supervision of Partner No 005 from September to December 2003 and in 2004. The samples
of sediments from some rivers are taken to see are there pyralene spilling from military relays in high mountains,
which communicate toward significant karstic springs and particularly from factories and towns upstream and
downstream of rivers. The soil samples were taken in the sites of leaking of oil from transformers and capacitors
to determine was it the pyralene or other oil with PCBs. Fish samples were taken because of previously
registered increased PCBs content in sediment of fishpond in spring Klokot 2 in Bihać.
In June 2004 after getting and analyzing the first results of PCB levels in soil and sediments sampling and
getting newer data on damaged electrical transformer stations and other facilities with PCBs from various
subjects and institutions in the field, we carried out under supervision and in consultation with Partner No 005
another soil sampling on 18 locations around Sarajevo, Tuzla, Tešanj and Bihać, 34 river sediments samples
around Sarajevo, Olovo, Tuzla, Tešanj, Vitez, Travnik and Bihać and 5 fish samples from Bihać fishpond.
Significant results of research of PCBs in some interesting investigated areas of B&H
According to the results of analyses the most interesting area in B&H is Bihać region from the standpoint of
PCBs pollution and its possible negative influence to surficial and groundwater. It should be taken into
consideration the basic hydrogeological characteristics of watersheds of springs in holokarstic Lika (Croatia) and
Bihać (Bosnia and Herzegovina) region to make the explanation of different contents of PCBs in soil, aquatic
sediments and fish in these waters from which the pollutants come.
Hydrogeological characteristics of holokarstic Lika and Bihać regions
The sources of pollution are ex-military facilities in airport Udbina, karstic fields in Lika, military relays in
Croatian and Bosnian mountains, waste depositories around Bihać and particularly ex-airport Željava.
Infiltration waters of spacious karstic terrains on the left side of the Una River around poljas Krbavsko, Prijeboj
and Koreničko and from Mt. massive Plješevica in Croatia discharge on springs from Klokot to Dobrenica in
Bihać polje. Karstic areas around Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina have also discharge in cited springs.
Diffusive and concentrated sinking and circulation of ground waters to one and frequently to more springs in
hypsometric lower levels in canyon of Una River valley is the basic hydrogeological characteristic of this terrain.
All waters from this region have the direction of ground water flows towards Una valley, what is proved by
numerous tracer tests in various underground sinks of karstic fields. Concentrated and disperse recharge of
springs in Bihać valley from numerous karstic fields in Lika and Bihać terrain is the main characteristic of
ground water circulation. The tracer tests of sinking waters by dying were performed in terrains of Lika and
Bihać area, which proved concentrated and fast groundwater connections from karstic fields in Lika and around
Bihać with numerous strong karstic springs in Una River valley around Bihać.
Very dangerous pollutant of groundwater is sinkhole of Željava in Croatia, which has served as liquid waste
deposit site of ex-Yugoslav Army and the connection of this hole was proved with water supply springs for
Bihać as they are Klokot 1, Klokot 2, Privilica, Žegar and others. There are other numerous groundwater
channels which have function of privileged groundwater flows toward springs. It is important to say the all
surface and groundwater from larger area of airport Željava function as underground sinks and appear in cited
springs. From this it is evident fast, direct and negative influence of the airport to groundwater i.e. to all springs,
especially to spring Klokot, which is one of the greatest springs in B&H with Qmin = 3 m3/s.
PCBs results of surface soil samples collected in 2003 and 2004 in B&H
All analyses of PCBs in soil samples were performed at the Rudjer Boskovic Institute Zagreb (Partner 005).
- There are the great differences of levels of PCBs in soil samples collected around Bosnia and Herzegovina.
High levels of PCBs were found in soil samples collected from military relays installations in mountains
(Bjelašnica 2 – 2000 ngg-1; Jahorina 2 - 6000 ngg-1; Trebević 2 – 1300 ngg-1) and former military airport Željava
(164 000 ngg-1).
In factory “Viteks” Visoko is not registered high content of PCBs as some soil samples from coal mines in Tuzla
region (Lukavac – Šikulje II) and in E.T.S. Jelah II – Tešanj, which have over 20 000 ngg-1.
We have recognized the most significant sources of pollution of PCBs as they are Jelah, Šikulje etc. and defined
their characteristics. All capacitors in E.T.S. represent local pollutions from which there was not far
dissemination of pyralene in the space, what we proved in Jelah. Gigantic great contents of PCBs in E.T.S.
Šikulje I near Lukavac (96.2*106 ngg-1) and in Šikulje II of only 20 000 ngg-1 are the result of spilling of oil from
capacitors batteries in these locations. Enormous high concentrations of PCBs in soil samples (Tešanj, E.T.S.
Jelah I 179*106 ngg-1) were registered in sites where the damaged capacitors were situated and this fact denotes
the oil from leaked in the soil and it remained there until now i.e. the oil did not run off far from capacitors. The
capacitors in E.T.S. Jelah were carried away in 1986, the quantity of oil spills is not known, terrain is built of
alluvial sediments and the oil could run off through alluvium to River Usora and from there to alluvial aquifers
on the opposite –left side of River Usora where are built wells for water supply of greater part of inhabitants of
municipality of Tešanj and also afterwards downstream to River Bosna, where the wells for water supply exist in
numerous places like Usora, Matuzići, Alibegovci, Karuše, Doboj etc. On the east side of this E.T.S. the level of
PCBs was only 25000 ngg-1.
- We performed soil samplings around possible flowing paths from E.T.S. Jelah for the purpose of examination
of reach of pollution with PCBs from capacitors in electrical transformer station Jelah. Great values of PCBs are
limited around the west side of E.T.S. (sample No 57), where the capacitors were situated and there isn’t any
dissipation out of sampling sites in 2004. This fact denotes the oil from capacitors leaked in the soil and it
remained there until now i.e. the oil didn’t run off far from capacitors. In West, NW and SW from E.T.S. (No
57) in the length of 15m is no remarkable values of PCBs, while east of E.T.S. in samples 80 and 81 there are
increased content of PCBs, what indicate the field of pollution is extended in this sense. This fact is strange
because the greatest content of PCBs was registered west of E.T.S. (No 57), where capacitors were situated and
east of E.T.S. (No 58) was a little value of PCBs. It is difficult to imagine, taking into consideration the
configuration of terrain and possible paths of circulation of groundwater that the pollution in site 80 and 81 has
origin from western side (No 57) but until now we did not register additional pollution in eastern side of E.T.S.
But it is of local stretching too as the pollution (sample 57) on the west side of E.T.S. building.
- Higher PCBs content in Željava originate from destroyed and mined facilities in tunnels from which the
pyralene can infiltrate through karstic rock masses and then appear in strong karstic springs around Bihać
(Klokot 1, Klokot 2, Privilica, Žegar, Pećina, Panjak, Vedro polje – warm springs, Arkovac, Bistrica – Gata)
which was proved by dying test performed 1987, and after that to Una River, what we shall see only from
analysis of sediment from Klokot 2. In soil sample near Klokot spring is not registered higher level of PCBs
although the surface waters of this spring flood the soil surface during higher water levels. We do not know what
happened with PCBs during turbulence of high water flows. In minimal and moderate levels the soil is in higher
hypsometric level than River Klokot flow and then there is no recharge of river waters toward soil. We can
conclude that there is no PCBs in spring Klokot 1 what is indicated by sediment sample KL-1.
- In tunnel Željava is determined the highest amount of PCBs (No 109 – 105 000 ngg-1) from samples in 2004,
what denotes the pyralene spilling was from facilities inside of tunnel and not from outside. The level of PCBs in
2004 is less than the sample from 2003 (No 4 – 164 000 ngg-1 of PCBs) outside of tunnel. One can conclude
there is need for further sampling of soil in deeper tunnels and rooms of this underground facility. The low levels
of PCBs in airplane runway PS 5 (No 107, 108) of 4300 and 2600 ngg-1. There is a dispersion of PCBs in larger
area of this karstic massive and possibility of pollution of the most significant above quoted water-supply karstic
springs. PCBs have origin from interior of tunnels and it is logic that with moving away from it, PCB content is
decreased in soil. Lower amounts of PCBs are found in soil in tunnel in 2004. This makes misunderstanding.
One can conclude there are sites with greater contents of PCBs in tunnel than it has sample with 105 000 ngg-1
from 2004. We can say that there is a need for other sampling in deeper rooms of tunnel and also in terrain
outside to solve this question.
Higher content of PCBs was not registered in soil sample downstream of spring Klokot 1, although surficial
waters of this spring overflow surface of terrain during higher water levels. We do not know what happened with
PCBs during turbulence of high waters from spring Klokot 1. If there was PCB in waters of Klokot 1, the
question is if this pollutant could infiltrate through soil and stay in it or the stream flows of Klokot 1 carried
away PCBs further downstream. The surface of soil is in higher hypsometry than Klokot flows during minimum
and middle levels of waters and then there is no recharge of this part of soil from Klokot 1.
We cannot conclude that there are no PCBs in waters of Klokot 1 from present data, because of little number of
samples, but the result of sediments in Klokot 1, indicate the possibility that there are no PCBs in Klokot 1.
Another question is what happened with PCBs, which is not carried away by waters in tunnel Željava, but it is
remaining in these rooms.
Tuzla - Increased contents of PCBs in coal mines around Tuzla originate from damaged capacitors. The neogene
impermeable sediments do not permit deeper infiltration of water to the ground and here the oil can run off to
River Spreča with the help of overland runoff after precipitations. In these sites pollution derived from leaked
pyralene are of local importance. PCBs contents over 1000 ngg-1 are registered in military relays in mountains
and in E.T.S. with damaged capacitors and from these areas the surficial waters take away the oil to nearer rivers
as Miljacka and Bosna around Sarajevo and Spreča in surrounding of Tuzla.
E.T.S. in coal mines near Tuzla are situated in terrains built of neogene sediments can run off in Spreča River but
not in the deeper parts of the ground because these sediments – clays and marles are impermeable.
- Compensation batteries in E.T.S Požarnica east of Tuzla are probably the cause of high level of PCBs in soil
(No 76) in this location.
- Small levels of PCBs in parks (Sarajevo, Ilidža) originate from air and meteoric precipitations.
- PCBs in soil samples around damaged and destroyed ex-military relays in high Bosnian Mt. Bjelašnica,
Jahorina and Trebević do not have remarkable levels of PCBs except in sample Jahorina 2.
All other surface soil samples had not significant amounts of PCBs.
Nevertheless, it would be necessary to carry out adequate investigations, to determine geological and
hydrogeological characteristics of cover and bedrock, filtrational properties of cover and bedrock,
hydrogeological functions, hydraulic mechanism, depth to groundwater, thickness of water horizon, drainage
area, residence time of waters, velocities of groundwater, to perform boring of drill holes and taking samples of
sediments through the depth of terrain and in this way to contour the dissemination of PCB as vertically and also
horizontally in the space.
PCBs results of sediments and fishes samples collected in 2003 and 2004 in B&H
All analyses of PCBs in sediment samples were performed at the Rudjer Boskovic Institute Zagreb (Partner 005)
and at the Institute of public health Maribor (Partner 008).
Important data of PCBs content and comparison of results of investigation in 2003 and 2004 are presented
below.
-River Klokot is left tributary of Una River with its mouth downstream of Bihać, Miljacka and Zujevina are right
and respectively left tributaries of Bosna River with their inflow downstream of Ilidža; Oskova is left tributary of
Gostilja River and this one and also Jala are tributaries of Spreča River with their mouths downstream of Tuzla right tributary of Bosna River, Tešanjka flows to Usora River as the right tributary, which is left tributary of
Bosna River, Lašva is left tributary of Bosna River, Bioštica and Krivaja rivers are right tributaries of Bosna
River. All these rivers belong to Sava River basin and Black sea divide area.
Una and Klokot River - Bihać region
Higher PCBs content in Željava originate from destroyed and mined facilities in tunnels in object Klek of Mt.
massive Plješevica from which the pyralene can infiltrate through karstic rock masses and then appear in strong
karstic springs around Bihać (Klokot 1, Klokot 2, Privilica, Žegar, Pećina, Panjak, Vedro polje springs, Arkovac,
Bistrica – Gata) which was proved by dying test performed 1987, and after that to Una River. Pyralene can also
originate from karstic fields in Lika region, particularly from military facilities in former military airport Udbina
and appear in cited springs and finally in Una River again.
One must put the question from where is high level of PCBs only in spring sediments of Klokot 2 and in the
same time this fact is not registered in spring Klokot 1 and also not on Privilica spring - Bihać. Soil sample
ahead of Tunnel 1 – Željava has high PCB content now and dying tests were proved, among others, groundwater
connections from sinkhole in Željava toward all cited springs. Can one say the waters carried away PCBs only
from Klokot 1, but from Klokot 2 there is less possibility of taking away of PCBs, because this water occurs in
basin in slow flow conditions?
Spilling of oil with PCBs happened in 1992 and sampling sediments are recent i.e. contemporary, very young. It
signifies the existence of present-day traveling from pollution site, which basically originates from the time of
destruction E.T.S. in 1992. It exists contemporary traveling of pollution what is proved by speed of tracer.
Spring Klokot 1 is far 0.15km from Klokot 2 and has much greater yield than Klokot 2, it is placed nearer and in
the same side to sinkhole Željava and however in its sediments there are no PCBs. The fictive velocities toward
Klokot 1 are 5.1 cm/s and to Klokot 2 similar 4.4 cm/s. Diagrams of out flowing of tracer are the same, the
recharge area for both springs are the same, proved groundwater connections reach both springs from each dying
sinkhole, river water flow cannot carry away PCBs only from Klokot 1. In the other words, there is no reason for
lack of PCBs in spring sediments also in Klokot 1 from hydrogeological standpoint.
One can say that there is a groundwater connection from now active source of pollution with PCBs in the
drainage area (it is in Željava tunnels what is proved by soil analysis) only toward Klokot 2. It means that
privileged water communication paths exist from the present pollution site exclusively to spring Klokot 2 in the
hydrologic conditions which governed in the sampling time – 09/15/2003. If the pollution comes from Udbina
too, one cannot explain why there is PCBs in sediments in Klokot 2 only. High concentration of PCBs in tunnel
4 is present now and this fact shows the pollution of sediments in Klokot 2 is derived from this and other tunnels
in Željava.
From 1992 when it was destroying of facilities with PCBs it exists probably pollution to present time because
during each year exists cyclic and the same elements of groundwater hydraulics. The question would PCBs
appear in Klokot 2 in all hydrologic conditions or only in particular periods of hydrologic year. The youth of
sediments in Klokot 1 is possibly reason of lack of PCBs in itself and in the same time sediment in Klokot 2 is
older in hydrogeological point of view and it had the possibility of accumulation of PCBs in longer period of
time. We can conclude the existence of complicated paths of circulations of groundwater is the cause of such
result.
Less content of PCBs in sediments of waters after the fishpond Klokot 2 (No 103) indicates accumulation of
PCBs in sediments in basin because of no flowing of this sediment. Sample 105 – 100m downstream of fishpond
(Klokot 2) contains both waters (Klokot 1+ Klokot 2) shows something higher level of PCBs than it is in Klokot
1 and Klokot 1+2. This increase is connected to waters of Klokot 2. This fact points out to irregularity of space
oscillations of PCBs in sediments of Klokot 2. PCBs level downstream in river Klokot 1+2 (No 106) is the same
as it is in Klokot 1 upstream of mouth of Klokot 2, what indicates the sediments of Klokot 1 are practically
without PCBs.
On the other side very low content of PCBs in sediments of Una River upstream (No 6) and downstream (No 7)
of Bihać, denotes there are neither income of PCBs upstream of Bihać nor from the same town. River Una is
clean with regard to pollution of PCBs, but the sample site in Ćetića mlin – UN 2 (No 7) is situated upstream of
the mouth of River Klokot. The PCB pollution comes by this river from military relays on high Mt. Plješevica,
the former waste Bihać depository Vučjak and former military airport Željava, maybe also from Lika karstic
poljas - Koreničko polje, Prijeboj and Krbavsko polje in Croatia (these ground connections were proved by
dying tests) to Una River.
Samples of fishes in fishpond of spring Klokot 2 in 2004 have similar low contents, while sample No 59/2003
has something increased PCBs. The sampling of sediments in fishpond in Klokot 2 was not permitted to us and
we took the sample in 2004 out of fishpond on the outflowing pipe from the basin, this sediment is younger than
the one taken in 2003 in fishpond. The lower level of PCBs in sediment from 2004 related to the one from 2003
is the result of hydrogeological conditions in recharge area of River Klokot. This date correlates well by fewer
contents in fish in 2004 related to 2003 too.
The consequence of high level of PCBs in Klokot 2 can be negative in practical sense, because it may impact to
use of fish as a human food, which are bringing up in fishpond in this spring. In the same time the lack of PCBs
in Klokot 1 has positive and happy effect because its waters serve as main water-supply source to cca 50000
inhabitants of the municipality of Bihać.
Sarajevo region
River Miljacka in the centre of Sarajevo has high values of PCBs in 2003 but not in 2004. The origin of this
content may be connected with damaged and destroyed military facilities in recharge areas in Mt. Trebević and
Jahorina and in damaged capacitors in Sarajevo upstream of Marijin Dvor. Therefore in this area we shall take
several sediment samples in the following phase of work. Sediment sample downstream of Sarajevo in Azići –
Stup does not have significant amounts of PCBs like Miljacka – Marijin Dvor, what implies there are not
pollution from Sarajevo – Marijin Dvor and also no new flows by River Miljacka downstream from centre of
Sarajevo to Stup.
These values in 2004 were manifold less than in 2003. The sample 15 was taken 5m upstream of Vrbanja most,
sample 98 is 5m downstream of this bridge and sample No.99 is 30m upstream of the same bridge; all samples
are on the left side of the Miljacka River. The sediments precipitated in 2003 were carried out after sampling in
2003 by the River Miljacka and in 2004. This river brought along the new sediments on this bank from which we
took the samples in 2004 on the other locations than it was in 2003. Consequently, we cannot check now in 2004
the sampling site from 2003 because these sediments are taken away in 2004 and 2005. The sediments sampling
in 2003 were carried away by the Miljacka River and we cannot know are there on these sites in 2004 increased
anomaly of PCBs. We do not know also would it be on the sites in 2004 the state as it was in 2003 or as it is in
2004 if they were sampled in 2003. One can pose the question is the area with increased values of PCBs limited
only around location 15 and only in 2003. One can conclude subsequent bringing and precipitation of Miljacka
River sediments and after sampling in 2003 cause the increasing of PCBs in 2003. The new sediments have
fewer levels of PCBs, at the same time there is less possibility of existing of space-limited anomaly in 2003 and
2004. It seams the decrease of PCBs in sediments during elapsed time in Miljacka River Sarajevo. The origin of
this content of PCBs in 2003 may be connected with damaged and destroyed military facilities in relays in
recharge areas in Mt. Trebević (Debelo brdo) and Jahorina and in damaged capacitors in Sarajevo upstream of
Marijin Dvor.
The high level of PCBs in river sediments of Zujevina – Blažuj is the consequence of spreading of PCBs from
damaged, bombed and destroyed industrial and military facilities with capacitors filled by pyralene in the
recharge area in the war 1992 – 1995 in the terrains of Blažuj, Hadžići, mined facilities in Mt. Bjelašnica and
Igman. Samples 61, 62 and 63 in sites upstream and downstream of Hadžići will show validity of the above
opinion. There are neither of PCBs upstream of Kamenjače in the course of Zujevina River nor in the spring of
Žunovnica and in the opposite in Kamenjače exists remarkable value of PCBs, what means the pollution comes
from the area between Blažuj and Kamenjače.
Thermoelectric power plant Kakanj has the small influence on increasing of PCBs content in Bosna River
sediment downstream of the same plant in relation to sediment sample of the same river upstream of power
plant. In TEPP Kakanj there are some capacitors with pyralene and are also stored facilities with oil with PCBs.
Tuzla region
In 2004, in opposite to the 2003, in sediments of rivers from Tuzla region were registered uniformly low
amounts of PCBs, around 17.5 ngg-1 in all locations. These sediments are younger than those sampled in 2003
which were denudated and carried out after sampling in 2003 by stream waters flow. Generally, the reasons for
such situation are caused by natural conditions and changes in recharge area of these rivers. Interpretation of
such data is similar to those as for Miljacka in the above text. New sediments in 2004 are conditioned by
different hydrologic and hydrogeological circumstances, which were completely various related to those
conditions in 2003. Concrete reasons for this phenomenon i.e. the explanation based on hydrogeological
characteristics one cannot explain now. Certainly, a little number of samples makes impossible real conclusion,
it exists very complicate ways of explanation of PCBs contents in sediments.
In Šićki Brod downstream by River Jala of Tuzla and TEPP is not registered the greater influence neither of the
town Tuzla nor TEPP. In the same time the brook, which percolate from the hills northern of TEPP has no PCBs
pollution. In Simin Han upstream of Tuzla is got higher content of PCBs, which origin we do not know to
explain. It is possible the result of damaged military relays from Mt. Majevica and Trovrh and E.T.S. Požarnica
in which there are some damaged capacitors with pyralene.
In Đurđevik are registered high concentrations of PCBs thanks to waste waters of a coalmine, the pollution from
the coalmine and a industrial zone of Banovići basin is a little less, what shows sample from Oskova estuary.
In Puračić in Spreča River is registered the higher level of PCBs like Gostilja, which can be connected with
outflowing of waste waters from the industrial zone of Lukavac and such waters from the coalmine Šikulje. At
the same time downstream of Puračić by the River Spreča in Dobošnica has no significant amount of PCBs in
River Spreča sediment especially in relation to this one in Puračić. This fact we can explain with low velocity of
River Spreča downstream of Puračić and sedimentation of PCB in this part of river flow.
Tešanj region
The factories in industrial zone downstream of the town Tešanj do not pollute the River Tešanjka more than the
same waste waters from Tešanj and upstream of Tešanj in hills of this area.
In Žutulje downstream of Jelah was registered increased level of PCBs, but upstream in Kalošević in the same
River Usora there is no PCBs. PCBs are transported by the river and the dynamics of surface waters can be the
cause of these results. Namely, the fast water of River Usora in Kalošević carried away PCBs toward Žutulje
where it is the calm course of flow of river in which probably happened depositing of PCBs.
Mostar region
Springs Bunica, Bošnjaci, Livčina are practically clean on PCBs content i.e. the pollution from karstic areas of
Mt. Velež, where they are situated destroyed military relays with capacitors and electrical transformers with oils
with PCBs, although groundwater connection were proved by dying tests in hydrogeological investigations
before the war 1992-1995. The same case is with samples in Konjic, which point out there are not the influence
of destroyed military relays and facilities from Mt. Prenj, Keser and Borašnica as recharge areas.
In sediments of numerous strong karstic springs like Bijela, Boračko Lake, springs of River Bosna, Žunovnica
(the watersheds of these springs are in high mountains) were not registered increased contents of PCBs what
means there were not comings of PCBs from high mountains with damaged military relays as with pyralene as
they are Velež, Borašnica, Bjelašnica, Igman and Jahorina. One does not know was the pyralene spill out or it
was not come yet to springs or finally the fast stream flows in springs were carried away PCBs. Although these
relays are generally situated in watersheds areas of springs, however it is not possible the existence of
groundwater connections from every point of terrain toward springs.
We must stress above quoted considerations about reasons of higher concentrations of PCBs in sediments
especially are not definitive and exact conclusions. Namely, it is possible the different levels of PCBs are
stipulated by hydrodynamic conditions of movements of waters, regime of precipitation of sediments, their size
and characteristics of grains, age and the speed of creating, the distance from source of pollution and in which
conditions of aquatic water systems does happen the precipitation, migration and transportation of PCBs.
It would be necessary to carry out adequate investigations, to determine geological and hydrogeological
characteristics of cover and bedrock, filtrational properties of cover and bedrock, hydrogeological functions,
hydraulic mechanism of movement of ground and surficial waters, depth to groundwater, thickness of water
horizon, drainage area, residence time of waters, velocities of ground and surficial waters, to perform boring of
drill holes and taking samples of sediments through the depth of terrain and in this way to contour the
dissemination of PCB as vertically and also horizontally in the space.
Proposals for soil, sediments and fish sampling in B&H in further researches
Soil and sediments sampling were not performed in third period, all samples were taken in the second year of
investigation. By present knowledge on necessity of soil and sediments samplings we propose the following
locations:
1) Karstic springs around Bihać - Klokot 1, Klokot 2, Privilica, Žegar, Dobrenica, Pećina, Panjak, Vedro polje,
Arkovac, Brišovac, Bistrica – Gata, Ostravica, Draga, Toplica, Klisa, Djakulin, Crnoć. All of these springs have
proved groundwater connections with sinkhole Željava and Vučjak in B&H and other numerous abysses from
Lika in Croatia (Krbavsko polje, Koreničko polje, Prijeboj, Mazin, Brezovac, Lapačko polje), it is important to
stress the existence of military facilities of former Yugoslav army in Udbina, Željava, depots of fuel and various
other materials and military relays in peak of Plješevica and Jasen mountain with capacitors with pyralene,
which are damaged and destroyed during the war 1992-1995
2) Vrkašić on the left and right side of Una River downstream of pollution waters inflow from Bihać industrial
zone, Unac Rmanj monastery to examine inflow of toxicants from Drvar area, Una River-Bihać, upstream of the
mouth of Klokot River
3) Soil samplings in tunnels and exterior different military plants in ex-military airport Željava in Mt. Plješevica
in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina terrains, ex-military relays Kmur, Trovrh, Majevica, Stolice
4) Soil samples in Famos factory – Hrasnica, SFOR military base – Rajlovac, Factories Unis – Bugojno,
Bratstvo – Novi Travnik, Travnik Vitezit – Vitez, Impregnacija – Vitez, Mediapan – Kaonik near Busovača,
E.T.S. Požarnica, TS Lopare, Šikulje II, Šikulje I, FAD Jelah, Ukus and Pobjeda Tešanj
5) River Željeznica upstream of Ilidža in Vojkovići and downstream of Ilidža in the mouth of this river to Bosna
River – these sites we propose to determine is there inflow of PCBs from industry facilities in Hrasnica and
Ilidža and from relays in the Mt. Jahorina and Treskavica toward Bosna River
6) Lašva River upstream and downstream of Mediapan factory and River Mlava in surrounding of Busovača for
examine if there is inflow of PCBs from industry in area of Busovača to River Mlava and after that to Lašva
River.
After getting of these results one can conclude on sampling of autochthonous fish from Klokot 1, Klokot, Lisa,
Privilica, Dobrenica, Ostravica, Draga, Toplica, Crnoć and rivers Klokot, Una, Lašva, Mlava, Željeznica, Bosna
etc. Certainly, these proposals are related to the continuation of possible investigation in the future in the other
PCB projects.
On the basis of results of aquatic sediments analyses in following rivers: Miljacka – Marijin Dvor, Gostilja –
Đurđevik, Oskova – Živinice, Gostilja – Živinice, Jala – Simin Han, Spreča – Puračić and Zujevina – Blažuj,
Partner No 005 noticed significant levels of PCBs contents and proposed taking of fish samples in the rivers in
which were registered significant level of PCBs.
Because of technical reasons we could not take these samples in 2005.
It is important to determine the present state of whole ex-airport Željava and propose the ways of solutions of
this problem and measures of rehabilitation: these investigations should perform B&H and Croatia jointly,
because these facilities are situated now in both countries. It is necessary to research the influence of dangerous
pollutants as they are ex-airport Udbina in Croatia, because these objects are in watershed areas of numerous
water-supply springs in Bihać region.
Work package 4
Choosing and setting locations on air sampling with PCBs content
Sites for air sampling on PCBs content were collected in some interesting areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina after
consideration of the results of soil and sediments samplings in zones of military relays in high mountains and
other sites with PCBs spilling in B&H under supervision and with the help of Partners No 001 and No 005.
Selected locations for air sampling on PCBs content according to analyses of PCBs content in soil and other data
are the followings: 1) ETS Tuzla – Centre, 2) BKC, Firemen house – Tuzla, 3) Monitoring station 3 – Bukinje –
Tuzla, 4) Meteorological station Trnovac - Tuzla, 5) Salt mine – Tušanj – Tuzla, 6) Vogošća – Sarajevo, 7)
Federal meteorological Institute – Bardakčije - Sarajevo, 8) Standard factory - Sarajevo, 9) HM Tenax company
– Vlakovo - Sarajevo, 10) Federal meteorological station Ivan sedlo – Sarajevo. The analyzing of these samples
is performed now in RECETOX Institute in Brno (Partner No 001). Passive air sampling campaign was begun
07/14/2004 by setting stations by turns as was written above. In Tuzla stations are marked from TUP 1 to TUP 5
and in Sarajevo from SAP 6 to SAP 10.
The air sampling campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina was performed in cooperation by Masaryk University –
CZR and Geological survey – B&H in May 2004 in above mentioned 10 sites. In this period of investigation we
continued taking of passive air samplings with beginning in July 2004. This campaign was performed by
Geological survey – Sarajevo and it is finished December 12/01/2004. All samples of air and samplers were
delivered to Partner No 005 in 12/02/2004.
We sent to RECETOX Institute in Brno the coordinates and altitudes of 10 air sampling sites, meteorological
data (average daily temperatures for stations Ivan Sedlo, Sarajevo - Butmir – airport, Sarajevo – Bjelave and
Tuzla, number of days with precipitation for the same stations, number of days with inversion for stations
Sarajevo – Bjelave and Sarajevo - Butmir – airport). Meteorological data were got by goodness of Federal
Meteorological Institute – Sarajevo.
Problems encountered
None
Technology implementation plan
None
PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS
Refereed journals
Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Picer, M., Picer, N., Rugova, A., Arbneshi, T. 2005. Pollution of
river sediments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo with polychlorinated biphenyls. CD-ROM of
Proceedings of 25th International Symposium on Halogenated Environmental Organic Pollutants and Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs)-DIOXIN. Toronto, Canada, August 21-26, Organohalogen compounds 67: 20522055. poster presentation
Picer N., Čalić V., Miošić N., Picer M., Kovač T., Cencič Kodba Z., Hodak Kobasić V., Hrvatović H. War
waste and soil pollution in karstic area of Bosnia and Herzegovina with polychlorinated biphenyls. Water and us
IX (43): 44-50. (in Croatian)
Picer, M., Kovač, T., Picer, N., Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Rugova, A. 2005. War in Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, and PCBs hazards. CD-ROM of Proceedings of 25th International
Symposium on Halogenated Environmental Organic Pollutants and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)DIOXIN. Toronto, Canada, August 21-26, Organohalogen compounds 67: 2048-2051. poster presentation
Picer, N., Miošić, N., Hodak-Kobasić, V., Kovač, T., Čalić, V., Hrvatović, H. 2004. War waste and pollution
of karstic area of Bosnia and Herzegovina with PCBs, CD-ROM of Proceedings of 24th International
Symposium on Halogenated Environmental Organic Pollutants and POPs-DIOXIN. Berlin, Germany, September
6-10, Organohalogen compounds 66: 1313-1320.
Published lectures
Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Picer, M., Picer, N., Rugova, A., Arbneshi, T. 2005. Pollution of
river sediments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo with polychlorinated biphenyls. Book of abstracts. 19th
Croatian meeting of chemists and chemical engineers, Opatija, April 24-27, 413. poster presentation
Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Picer, M., Picer, N., Rugova, A., Arbneshi T. 2005. Pollution of
river sediments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo with polychlorinated biphenyls. Proceedings of
International conference on “Environmental change and rational water use”. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 29th
August–1st September, poster presentation
Čalić, V., Picer, N., Picer, M., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Rugova, A. 2005. Levels of POPs in soil and
sediment of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Workshop of Croatian-Norwegian project: Mitigation of
environmental consequences of the war in Croatia – Risk assessment of hazardous chemical contamination,
Zagreb, 26-27 September, 19.
Picer, N., Miošić, N., Picer, M., Hodak Kobasić, V., Kovač, T., Čalić, V., Hrvatović, H. 2004. War waste and
pollution of karstic area of B&H with PCBs, Proceedings, 8th International symposium Waste management.
Zagreb, Croatia, November 17-19, 699-710. (in Croatian)
Picer, M., Picer, N., Kovač, T., Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Rugova, A. 2005. War in some
karstic area of former Yugoslavia, and PCB hazards to karst water system. Proceedings of International
conference on “Environmental change and rational water use”. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 29th August–1st
September, oral presentation
Sent for publication
Čalić, V., Picer, N., Miošić, N., Hodak Kobasić, V., Kovač, T., Picer, M., Hrvatović, H. War waste and the
pollution of the karstic area of Bosnia and Herzegovina with PCBs. (paper Submitted in Chemosphere)
Picer, M., Picer, N., Hodak Kobasić, V., Kovač, T., Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Rugova, A. 2005.
War in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and PCBs hazards to water ecosystem. European
conference on Industrial Pollution and Sustainable Development, Maribor, Slovenia, December 22-23 (paper
accepted)
Picer, M., Picer, N., Kovač, T., Hodak Kobasić, V., Čalić, V., Miošić, N., Cencič Kodba, Z., Rugova, A.
2005. War in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo and Metohija, and PCBs hazards to karst water
system. Proceedings of International conference and field seminar: Water resources and environmental problems
in karst-CVIJIC. Belgrade and Kotor, Serbia and Montenegro, September 14-19 (in press)
Conclusions
Until now, neither before nor after the war 1992 – 1995, the analyses of samples of various materials for the
content of PCBs was not performed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Neither one institution in B&H have the
analyses of PCBs, so there are no effects and locations known of leaking and consequences of the negative
effects of PCBs to the ecosystems.
Problems in the work are often caused by impossibility to get exact data, these data uncertainly. Often its
contradiction, disapproval of the work in the field by the most important electrical transformer stations owners,
impossibility to get the technical documentation and the current absence of the competent responsible persons in
the field of the E.T.S. alone. The basic operational problems and difficulty is how to find out the real situation
with the electrical transformers before damaging; what was the type of oil, how much oil was in the transformers
and what are the quantities of the oil leaked into the environment. There are some concrete problems as:
- the old equipment was without the type of oil mark on the transformers,
- there are no employees who were working in facilities before the war,
- usually, the workers in the field do not know the type of oil in the transformer stations, especially if the oil
leaked into the environment and what are the quantities of the same, if the oil was additionally poured and the
quantities of the same,
- there are contradictions and dilemmas in the various statements about the present factual status of the
transformer stations and the status before the war.
In the framework of this project for the first time was carried out systematic research of contamination of soil
and sediments in Bosnia and Herzegovina with PCBs, what represent the great delay related to other countries.
Higher PCBs content in Željava originate from military relays on high Mt. Plješevica, the former waste Bihać
depository Vučjak, and former military airport Željava, maybe also from Lika karstic poljas - Koreničko,
Prijeboj and Krbavsko polje, former military airport Udbina in Croatia. These groundwater connections were
proved by dying tests to Una River. From destroyed and mined facilities in tunnels of Mt. Plješevica the pyralene
can infiltrate through karstic rock masses and then appear in strong karstic springs around Bihać and after that to
Una River.
River Miljacka in the centre of Sarajevo has high values of PCBs in 2003 but not in 2004.The origin of this
content may be connected with damaged and destroyed military facilities in recharge areas in Mt. Trebević and
Jahorina and in damaged capacitors in Sarajevo upstream of Marijin Dvor. Sediment sample downstream of
Sarajevo in Azići – Stup does not have significant amounts of PCBs like Miljacka – Marijin Dvor, what implies
there is no pollution from the Sarajevo town. One can conclude subsequent bringing and precipitation of
Miljacka River sediments and after sampling in 2003 cause the increasing of PCBs in 2003.
The high level of PCBs in river sediments of Zujevina – Blažuj is the consequence of spreading of PCBs from
damaged, bombed and destroyed industrial and military facilities with capacitors filled by pyralene in the
recharge area in the war 1992 – 1995 in the terrains of Blažuj.
In River Jala sediments in 2004 were registered uniform low amounts of PCBs around 17.5 gkg-1 in all
locations, in Simin Han upstream of Tuzla is determined higher content of PCBs, which origin from the damaged
military relays from Mt. Majevica and Trovrh.
In Đurđevik are registered high concentrations of PCBs thanks to wastewaters of coal mine Đurđevik.
In Puračić in Spreča River is registered the higher level of PCBs like in Gostilja, which can be connected with
outflowing of waste waters from industrial zone of Lukavac and such waters from coal mine Šikulje.
In Žutulje downstream of Jelah was registered increased level of PCBs, but upstream in Kalošević in River
Usora there are no PCBs.
In sediments of numerous strong karstic springs like Bunica, Bijela, Boračko lake, springs of River Bosna and
Žunovnica we did not register increased contents of PCBs what means there was no leaking of PCBs from high
mountains with damaged military relays with pyralene as they are: Velež, Borašnica, Bjelašnica, Igman, Jahor