DANDELION (TARAXACUM OFFICINALE) AS A POSSIBLE INDICATOR OF WAR CONTAMINATION IN EASTERN CROATIA

U širem istraživanju moguće opterećenosti metalima i metaloidima istočne Hrvatske, kao posljedice ratnih zbivanja, proveden je biomonitoring lokalnog stanovništva putem uzoraka seruma, kose i urina te su izuzimani uzorci tla, vode i povrća. S dijelova gdje potpuni povratak i poljoprivredna djelatnost u vidu uzgoja povrća u vrtovima i okućnicama nije u potpunosti uspostavljen, izuzimani su uzorci maslačka, jestivog samoniklog bilja, koje se koristi u prehrani ljudi i životinja. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi da li postoje razlike u koncentracijama metala uspoređujući lokacije visokog inteziteta borbenih djelovanja (LVIBD) sa lokacijama niskog inteziteta borbenih djelovanja (LNIBD). Osim toga pokušala se utvrditi moguća međusobna povezanost kontaminacije metalima u okolišu i kod ljudi, te da li postoji podudarnost po pitanju mogućih „vrućih točaka“, mjesta značajno opterećenih metalima. S devet LVIBD izuzeta su ukupno 22 uzorka maslačka, a s 3 LNIBD izuzeto je ukupno 6 uzoraka. Koncentracije metala i metaloida koji se koriste u vojne svrhe (Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sr, U, V i Zn) utvrđivane su postupkom induktivno suspregnute plazme i spektrometrije masa ICP-MS. Povišene koncentracije olova, u odnosu na NDK za tu vrstu namirnica, pronađene su u dva uzorka, kadmija i arsena u jednom uzorku s LVIBD te olova na jednoj LNIBD. Mann Whitney testom testirana je razlika u koncentracijama svakog od 21 elementa između uzoraka prikupljenih na LVIBD i onih prikupljenih na LNIBD. Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika samo za živu (Hg) (p = 0,035). Koncentracije metala i metaloida u maslačku nisu značajno korelirale s koncentracijama u uzorcima tla. Pearsonovi koefi cijenti (biljke/tlo) za svaki pojedini element imali su vrijednosti u rasponu od najniže 0,019 (Ba) do najviše od 0,31 (P). Ipak, analizom glavnih komponenti (PCA) utvrđen je klaster na dvije lokacije na koje značenje ima većina utvrđivanih metala (Mg, Sb, As, B, Sr, U, Cu, Ni, Pb, Si, Ni, Ba, Co, Cr, Li, V, Al, Fe), dok metali Cd i Hg imaju veći utjecaj na preostalim lokacijama. Nešto više koncentracije Sb i Pb „stvorile“ su lokaciju Erdutski most intermedijarom između ta dva osnovna klastera, što je sukladno povišenim koncentracijama Al, Fe, Ni i Mg utvrđenim u kosi, tlu i povrću na istoj lokaciji. I maslačak kao indikator onečišćenja okoliša metalima ukazuje da ukupna opterećenost metalima u istočnoj Hrvatskoj nakon Domovinskog rata nije visoka, ali da sukladno analizama tla, povrća i bioloških uzoraka postoje „vruće točke“, od kojih je jedna okolica mosta na Dunavu kod Erduta.Biomonitoring of the local population by analysis of serum, hair and urine samples, and collection of soil, water and vegetable samples was performed as part of a broader investigation of metal and metalloid load as a consequence of war events in eastern Croatia. Samples of dandelion (Taraxacum offi cinale), an edible wild-grown plant used in human and animal nutrition, were collected in the areas where the return of war displaced persons and agricultural activities in vegetable plots and gardens have not yet been fully implemented. The aim of the study was to establish whether there were differences in metal concentrations between the areas of high- and low-intensity war actions (HIWA and LIWA). Another aim was to assess the potential interdependence of metal contamination in the environment and humans, and the potential association with the ‘hot spots’, i.e. places heavily loaded with metals. Six and 22 dandelion samples were collected at 3 LIWA and 9 HIWA areas, respectively. The concentrations of metals and metalloids used in war actions (Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sr, U, V and Zn) were determined by the method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Relative to the minimum allowable concentration, elevated concentrations of lead were recorded in 2 samples, cadmium and arsenic in 1 sample each from HIWA, and of lead in 1 sample from LIWA areas. Differences in the concentrations of 21 elements between the samples collected in HIWA and LIWA areas were determined by Mann Whitney test, yielding a statistically signifi cant difference only for mercury (p=0.035). Metal and metalloid concentrations measured in dandelion samples did not correlate signifi cantly with those in soil specimens; Pearson’s coeffi cients (plant/soil) for each element ranged from 0.019 (Ba) to 0.31 (P). However, the principal component analysis revealed the majority of hard metals predominating at two locations (Mg, Sb, As, B, Sr, U, Cu, Ni, Pb, Si, Ni, Ba, Li, V, Al and Fe), whereas Cd and Hg had greater impact at the remaining locations. Elevated Sb and Pb concentrations rendered the location of Erdut Bridge an intermediary between the two basic clusters, which was consistent with increased Al, Fe, Ni and Mg concentrations determined in human hair, soil and vegetable from the same area. Dandelion as an indicator of environmental contamination with metals showed that total metal load consequential to Homeland War actions in eastern Croatia was not high; however, analysis of soil, vegetable and biological samples pointed to ‘hot spots’, one of them being the area of Danube Bridge near Erdut