Variability of heavy metal concentrations in waters of fishponds affected by the former lead and zinc mine in Southern Poland

The fluctuations of heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe) concentrations and physicochemical parameters of water were studied for five fishponds located in the Matylda catchment affected by the former Pb and Zn ore mine in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region, southern Poland. Generally, metal concentrations in dissolved phase in pond water were low for most of the year, but their drastic increases were periodically observed (up to Cd 5.8, Pb 147.3, Zn 800.3, Mn 987.8, and Fe 2532.8 μg·dm^–3). The factors determining metal concentrations in the pond water have been discussed.