Joint P oint Polish olish-Finn Finnish samp ish sampli ling ng - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Joint P

• int Polish
• lish-Finn

Finnish samp ish sampli ling ng of

• f surf

surfac ace e water ters s ar arou

• und

nd the the ph phosp

• spho

hogyp ypsu sum waste aste stac stacks in ks in Gdan Gdansk sk an and P d Police

• lice on
• n 1 t

1 to 3 J

• 3 Jul

uly, , 2013 2013

The expedition was based on the agreement between the Polish and Finnish Ministers of the Environment in June 2013

Antti Räike Finnish Environment Institute Marine Centre

• Find out the role of two Polish phosphogypsum stacks as a

pollution source of the Baltic Sea

• The main focus of the study was on phosphorus and

phosphate concentrations, but also other parameters were included

Aim of the study

Police Gdansk The Baltic Sea

Study methods

• Sampling and field studies 1.- 3.7.2013
• Water quality

○ Gdansk 10 sampling stations ○ Police 7 sampling stations ○ Parameters (all together 17): conductivity, total phosphorus, phosphate phosphorus, aluminium, iron, calcium, fluoride, manganese, potassium, sulfate, sulfur, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, pH, cadmium, nickel ○ Samples were analysed both in Polish and Finnish laboratories

• Hydrology

○ Field studies ○ No flow measurements

Gdansk phosphogypsum stack

• Disposal started 1972
• Disposal ended 2009
• Area 34 ha
• Estimated amount of phosphorus
• f the stack:

○ 42 500 t

• Nearest watercourse: The Dead

Vistula ○ Distance 50 m ○ The Dead Vistula has been blocked from the Vistula by a dam: nearly no freshwater flow

• Distance to the Baltic Sea 6 km

Gdansk: Water quality in the stack area

• Really high

phosphorus concentrations

• 1,5 km south from

the stack still high concentrations

• Phosphorus

concentrations in the Dead Vistula are at the same level as in the Gulf of Finland anoxic bottom waters

Phosphate P Other P

Gdansk: Water quality results

• Phosphate phosphorus

concentrations near the stack nearly 5 times higher than those close to the sea

• Total phosphorus

concentrations 3 times higher

• This clearly indicates the

influence of the stack

• Without knowledge of flow

conditions estimation of export to the Baltic Sea is impossible

The Baltic Sea

Phosphate P Other P Stack

Police phosphogypsum stack

• Disposal started 1970
• Disposal continues
• Area 180 ha
• Estimated phosphorus amount

○ 213 000 t

• Nearest water course: The Odra

○ Distance to the river >150 m

• Distance to the Baltic Sea 10 km

(Bay of Szczecin)

• More developed water protection

system than in Gdansk (including e.g. a WWTP)

Police sampling stations

• 5 sampling stations in

the River Odra

• 1 sampling station in a

ditch where treated wastewater is discharged into the Odra

• An island in the Odra

divides flow: The amount water flowing between the stack and the island is unknown X

The stack WWTP

River flow divides

Police water quality results

• Phosphorus concentrations

increase when river water passes the stack

• Polish monitoring results

indicate the same thing

• Increase in concentration

was 28% including loading from the WWTP

• Water flow is unknown: It is

impossible to estimate phosphorus export

Phosphate P Other P

Conclusions

• Polish and Finnish Laboratory analyses were comparable
• Gdansk: The exceptional high phosphorus concentrations in the

Dead Vistula can only originate from the phosphogypsum stack

• Police: Increase in total phosphorus concentrations downstream the

stack may indicate leaching

• Gaps in knowledge of hydrological conditions in both places.

Therefore it is impossible to estimate loading to the Baltic Sea.

• Recommendation: More research on hydrological conditions are

needed in both places. This would enable reliable estimation of the potential phosphorus load into the Baltic Sea caused by the stacks.