The comparison of sediment quality in the rivers the Eastern Slovakia by Potential ecological risk index

The current pollution of sedimentary environment is very serious and exceeds load capacity limit and it is influenced by other external factors such as climate, hydrodynamic conditions, pH, salinity, Eh, temperature and other. This influences can cause the heavy metals are re-released from the sediments which were long-term accumulated what can lead to the deterioration of ecological environment and even pose a threat to the organisms through the food chain. Distribution, enrichment characteristics of heavy metals (such as lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury and arsenic) in the sediments in the rivers of Eastern of Slovakia, were measured and analyzed in 2017 and 2018. River sediment quality in the territory of East of Slovakia, representing the water basins of the rivers Hornad, Laborec and Torysa, was investigated. Sampling points were selected based on the current surface water quality monitoring network. The aim of the study is compare sediment quality of monitored rivers between 2017 and 2018 by method Potential Ecological Risk Index Method (PERI).