Heavy metals in the waters of Dąbie Lake (West-Pomeranian Voievodship, North-West Poland)

Heavy metal pollution is an ever increasing problem of our lakes. These toxic heavy metals entering in aquatic environment are adsorbed onto particulate matter, although they can form free metal ions and soluble complexes that are available for uptake by biological organisms. The increase in residue levels of heavy metal content in water, sediments and biota has resulted in decreased productivity and increase in exposure of humans to harmful substances. Many of these metals tend to remain in the ecosystem and eventually move from one compartment to the other within the food chain. Food chain contamination by heavy metals has become a burning issue in recent years because of their potential accumulation in biosystems through contaminated water, soil, sediment and air. Dąbie Lake is an integral part of the River Odra estuary. It is a shallow (2.5 m mean depth) water body with two distinct basins: the large (Dąbie Wielkie) and the small (Dąbie Małe). The aim of the studies, carried out in the years 2008 - 2009, was to determine the content of Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) in the waters of Dąbie Lake, being the internal part of the tertiary Odra estuary.