Publication details
Pilotní studie kvality vod protékajících jeskynním systémem Lopač, Moravský kras
| Title in English | A pilot study of quality of water passing through the Lopač cave system, Moravian Karst |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Speleoforum |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Water pollution and control |
| Keywords | cave; karst water; wastewater treatment plant; eutrophication; Lopač; Moravian karst |
| Description | The cave system of the Lopač Stream consist of the so-called Straý Lopač and Nový Lopač caves. The system lies in the northern part of the Moravian Karst at the beginning of the Suchý žleb Valley on the southern edge of the village of Ostrov u Macochy. The extent of pollution in the cave system was analysed from samples of water from both the surface stream and the subterranean stream. Water samples were acquiered between June 2015 and April 2016 in order to cover contrasting hydrodynamic conditions. Besides the contents of selected ions, basic physico-chemical characteristcs were determined (pH, TDS, conductivity and dissolved oxygen concentration). The analysis of results revealed a significant reduction of biological oxygen demand (BOD 5) in water after its entering the cave system. This is caused by the oxygenation of water in rapids and waterfalls, and can be understood as an effect of the self-purification ability of the stream. This trend becomes inhibited by further passage of water through the cave, or even becomes reversed by an inflow of polluted waters. Change in conductivity and chloride contents at the point of Lopač-Waterfall showed a non-systematic behaviour of both parameters; it is interpreted as an influx of water from another source. This source affects the chemistry of Lopač Stream water considerably. |