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  1. Ruđer Bošković Institute
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  3. Division for Marine and Environm...
  4. Laboratory for Biological Effect...
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  6. Diffuse riverine ecosystem pollu...
  7. Field work
  8. Winter field sampling (fishes)

Winter field sampling (fishes)

Winter field sampling of fishes, water and sediment was conducted from 9th to 14th March 2026, with the aim to collect samples after longterm low water discharge and water-level, before the occurrence of spring and summer rains and snow melting which lead to washout of agricultural surfaces, abandoned mine pits and various other diffuse sources of pollution.

Winter field - team
At five sites (Sveti Martin, Mursko Središće, Podturen, Goričan, Kotoriba) we have collected the following samples and performed the following measurements:

1. water for the measurement of dissolved metals (traces, macro elements, and rare earth elements)

2. water for determination of hardness and turbidity

3. water for measurement of organic contaminants (pesticides, antibiotics)

4. water for determination of environmental DNA (eDNA)

5. sediments for measurement of metals in two fractions (<2 mm, <0,63 mm) and organic matter content, and for grain-size distribution analyses

6. sediments for determination of bacterial metal resistance genes

7. several physico-chemical parameters were measured (water temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen).

Winter field - water
At three sites (Sveti Martin, Mursko Središće, Goričan) we have collected the following samples and performed the following measurements:

1. two fish species: chub (Squalius cephalus, pelagic species) and barbel (Barbus barbus, bentic species)

2. blood: measurement of 21 biochemical biomarkers in serum, determination of hematocrit from whole blood, and analyses of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities in blood smears

3. liver and gonads: measurements of bioaccumulated metals (total, cytosolic), determination of metal nanoparticles, analyses of tissue biomarkers, analyses of metalloproteins

4. muscle: measurement of bioaccumulated metals (total) and risk assessment for humans occurring from dietary ingestion, determination of metal nanoparticles

5. fin and scales: 2D-determination of metal distribution using micro-XRF

6. scales: determination of fish age

7. determination of fish biodiversity was done by classic approach based on fish morphology.

Winter field - fishes

Diffuse riverine ecosystem pollution: from nano contamination to biological and ecological effects (BeDIFFERENCE)