The main objective of this paper is to provide data on the Danube River Delta Biosphere (Romania) aquatic ecosystem quality and Vardar – Axios River Valley (FYR Macedonia – Greece) on comparison basis from on the long-term analytical investigation for specific indicators. In particular this paper is focused on the quality assessment of surface water, sediment and biota of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reservation. Information is presented on water and sediment quality variations in heavy metals over a seven-year period (2003 and 2009), from April to October. Samples have been collected monthly from two different locations (Murghiol and Uzlina) situated on St. Gheorghe branch. The presence of some toxic metals was noticed in surface waters and sediments. In both locations in different periods of time high concentrations of Fe, Mn, heptachlor, Lindane, PCBs, phenols, mineral oil in surface water represent an acute problem for the inhabitants of the Danube Delta which use water for household consumption directly from the Danube, without any treatment. This presents a series of disadvantages, such as a high risk of disease for the population, mostly for children and old people. The evolution of the pollution levels of Danube waters was compared with that of Axios / Vardar River, another major trans-boundary river in the Balkan area.

This review focuses on an important theme of conductive polymer domain: preparation and applications of advanced materials with permselective properties, such as conductive polymer‐based membranes. The most common groups of conductive polymers, their particularities, their use in membranes preparation together with main specific obtaining methods/techniques and conductive polymer‐based membrane applications are presented based on a comprehensive documentary study.

The aim of this chapter was the cationic and amphoteric surfactants ecotoxicological characterization according to European Regulation EC no. 648/2004 and risk assessment generated by them on the aquatic environment. Experimental researches were performed to establish the biodegradation level and aquatic toxicity, risk assessment and estimation of the maximum allowable limits in surface water. Has been pointed that the cationic and amphoteric surfactants have a primary biodegradation >80% and a final removal >60%, noting that the cationic surfactants have registered the lowest values. In terms of acute aquatic toxicity was found that cationic surfactants are toxic for crustaceans, algae and bacteria ("Acute Toxicity, class 1") and amphoteric surfactants are toxic to fish, crustaceans and algae ("Acute Toxicity, class 2"). A complementary risk assessment study was performed for biodegradation liquids of cationic surfactants. The biodegradation effluents maintain the compounds toxicity on algae and bacteria in case of standard surfactant (Hyamine 1622), which means that in the surfactant biodegradation effluents the active substance was persistent or can arise recalcitrant metabolites. Based on PEC / PNEC ratios, the aquatic risk assessment of cationic and amphoteric surfactants has been assessed: cationic surfactants PEC / PNEC > 1 - risk to aquatic organisms; amphoteric surfactant PEC / PNEC <1 - no risk to aquatic organisms. Were estimated maximum allowable concentrations (MATC) of cationic surfactants (≤ 0.002 mg/L) and amphoteric (0.01 mg/L) in surface waters, so that the aquatic life in trophic chain, will not be affected. The present study was relevant for the conformity control of market cleanup products to assure the human health and environment protection.

This research activity demonstrates that materials used in water distribution systems are part of the overall treatment process that affect the water quality which consumers drink at their tap. The interaction between water and the infrastructure used for its supply are fundamental in producing safety drinking water. Subtle reactions between water and different materials used for its transport can affect the finale quality delivered to consumers. The study, developed in the period June 2009 – June 2011, in a project regarding safety of drinking water distribution systems in some municipalities from Romania, demonstrated that materials used in drinking water domestic installations have a major contribution in the deterioration of water quality supplied by local distribution operators. In some locations, in first draw samples collected in the morning from kitchen cold taps were detected high quantity of Cu, Fe, Ni and Pb correlated with materials used in internal distribution system (Cu pipes, Pb pipes, PVC pipes, branch pipes, cast iron and unprotected steel pipes, Ni-Cr plated taps). The main causes are the process of water stagnation and the lack of maintenance of the internal distribution materials. For samples were collected with fully flushed procedure, the quality of drinking water was better, the number of non-compliance samples decreased with 50%. The customers were advised that, it be not recommended to use the first draw water for cooking and drinking purpose. Recommendations in cases of exceeding the limit values of metals in drinking water were either flushing water for more than five minutes and then use water for household consumption or replacement of pipes and fittings in both, local or domestic distribution systems.

The topic of this work was based on the assessment of aquatic systems quality related to the persistent metal pollution. The use of aquatic organisms as bioindicators of metal pollution allowed the obtaining of valuable information about the acute and chronic toxicity on common Romanian aquatic species and the estimation of the environment quality. Laboratory toxicity results showed that Cd, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Zr, and Ti have toxic to very toxic effcts on Cyprinus carpio, and this observation could raise concerns because of its importance as a fihery resource. The benthic invertebrates’ analysis showed that bioaccumulation level depends on species, type of metals, and sampling sites. The metal analysis from the shells of three mollusk species showed that the metals involved in the metabolic processes (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Mg) were more accumulated than the toxic ones (Pb, Cd). The bioaccumulation factors of metals in benthic inverte‐ brates were subunitary, which indicated a slow bioaccumulation process in the studied aquatic ecosystems. The preliminary aquatic risk assessment of Ni, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, As, and Zn on C. carpio revealed insignifiant to moderate risk considering the measured environmental concentrations, acute and long‐term effcts and environmental compartment.

The present chapter focuses on spatio-temporal evolution of sediments pollution with mobile heavy metals in ive sampling campaigns, in an abandoned gold-bearing mining area from Certeju de Jos, Hunedoara County. The investigated zone is situated in a region where for a long period intense activities of mining exploitation was conducted. For determination of total metals content, sediment samples were dissolved with ultra- pure nitric acid to microwave digestion. For the determination of mobile metals concentrations, it used the first step of BCR 701 sequential extraction scheme in a modified form, by reducing the extraction time from 16 hours to 20 minutes by sonication. The total and mobile concentrations of metals were determined by using ICP-MS. The concentrations of the mobile fractions of Cd, As and Cu are between 60 and 98% for Cd, 10 and 38% for As and up to 44% for Cu, indicating their presence in a bioavailable form. Due to the high mobility, these metals can pass from sediment to surface water and, implicitly, to the aquatic ecosystems. The pollution indices, calculated for the total content of As, Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb, indicate the presence of a strong environmental risk of sediment degradation in most investigated site.

Indicatorii de risc chimic calculaţi au evidenţiat riscul diferenţiat pe care substanţele chimice îl pot induce asupra lucrătorilor, consumatorilor sau mediului funcţie de proprietăţile lor fizico-chimice, de valorile expunerii şi ale toxicităţii corelate cu volumul de producţie şi numărul de utilizări pentru fiecare dintre substanţele evaluate. Indicatorul de producţie evidenţiază faptul că la nivel naţional este predominantă producţia de substanţe chimice cu nivel mediu până la foarte redus de toxicitate, chiar dacă pe perioada analizată există variaţii cantitative de la an la an. Se remarcă scăderea producţiei de substanţe chimice care prezintă nivel ridicat de toxicitate pentru mediu în anii 2007, 2008. Indicatorul consum aparent de substanţe chimice şi periculoase indică valori ale consum aparent situat sub valorile de producţie, pe tot intervalul analizat dar cu variaţii periodice funcţie de variaţiile înregistrate de producţie. Aceasta indică faptul că la nivelul României exporturile de substanţe chimice ocupă un loc important. Valorile Indicatorului de transport transfrontalier evidenţiază menţinerea aproximativ constantă a volumului de substanţe chimice şi periculoase transportate peste graniţe pe toată perioada de timp analizată şi la nivelul tuturor substanţelor chimice selectate, indiferent de nivelul lor de periculozitate. Aceasta constanţă a volumului de substanţe transportate transfrontalier indică o echilibrare a nivelului importurilor şi exporturilor intra şi extra comunitare funcţie de nivelul producţiei, cu valori mai mari ale importurilor în anii cu producţie mai scăzută sau cu posibilităţi mai mari de export în anii cu nivel mai ridicat al producţiei de chimicale. Din analiza Indicatorului de toxicitate efectuată pe clase de toxicitate se remarcă diferenţieri pe ani cu o scădere accentuată a indicatorului de toxicitate al substanţelor din clasa F, toxicitate faţă de mediu, o scădere relativ mică a indicatorului de toxicitate pentru substanţele din clasele de toxicitate A, B, C, D dar şi cu o creştere pentru substanţele din clasa E de toxicitate. Aşa cum era de aşteptat nivelul cel mai ridicat al toxicităţii se regăseşte în rândul substanţelor din clasa A de toxicitate, clasă care include substanţele cancerigene, mutagene, cu efecte asupra reproducerii (CMR). Pentru toţi indicatorii suplimentari calculaţi s-a efectuat o corelare a rezultatelor obţinute din investigaţia statistică efectuată la nivel naţional cu datele raportate de EUROSTAT la nivelul statelor UE (în anul 2003) constatându-se o bună concordanţă între valorile raportate.

The main objective of this paper is to highlight the dynamics of biotic community in terms of spatial and temporal relationship. The biotic community dynamics in St. Gheorghe Branch were discussed based on existing data and the results of our own research during 2003–2009. Surface water and sediment samples have been collected monthly from two control sections, Murighiol and Uzlina. The analyzed parameters were according to the Norm concerning the reference objectives for the surface water quality classification (Romanian Order MEWM no. 161/2006) and also, to the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC which established a framework for community action in the field of water policy. The variation of parameters during the investigated period along St. Gheorghe Branch was strongly influenced by the climatic conditions (drought, flood). Further studies need to be carried out in this area in order to accomplish a sustainable management and to evaluate the occurrence of persistent organic pollutants and toxic metals in tissues, and to assess the risk of these contaminants on the ecosystem and human health.