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In recent decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the pollution of river water and sediments with a variety of inorganic elements and compounds that are harmful to the environment and pose a threat to human health. Increasing industrialization, urbanization and intensive agriculture, which had a positive impact on the development of society and economy in the 20th century, can pollute the environment, especially through the release of metals such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) and many others. Furthermore, the development of modern technology, especially in the fields of telecommunications, medicine and green technologies, depends heavily on the use of so-called technologically critical elements (TCE), including rare earth elements (REE), yttrium (Y), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta) and indium (In). However, the knowledge of the potentially harmful effects of TCE on the environment is still in its infancy and the need for research is increasing year on year.

The MURmap project focused on the Mura catchment area. The area at the upper part of the Mura had historically been known for mining, especially for the extraction and processing of iron, chrome, copper, and mercury ores. Over the centuries, a strong metallurgical and processing industry developed in the Styrian Basin, while the morphology and soil conditions were very favourable for intensive agriculture. In Austria, the Mura flowed through several technology centres where TCE had entered the river system, further changing the chemical composition of the catchment. Dams for hydropower plants had further impacted the water quality of the Mura. In Slovenia, smaller but regionally important urban centres had developed in the Mura River basin, and Pomurje had been known for decades of intensive agricultural activity, stock-farming, manufacturing, exploration and exploitation of oil and natural gas, and hydrocarbon refinement.

The main objective of the project, in which the Geological Survey of Slovenia, Montanuniversität Leoben, and the National Institute of Chemistry had been involved, was a holistic view of the geochemical composition of the water and sediments of the Mura River and its tributaries. As part of the project, the natural geochemical background of the catchment area had been determined, along with the historical and possible current anthropogenic sources of pollution and the differences in the elemental composition of the water and suspended sediments between the high, medium, and low water discharges.

Phases of the project and their realization

WP1 – Sampling; completion of 5 sampling campaigns (May 2022, August 2022, February 2023, August 2023 and November 2023).

WP2 – Analysis; completion of water and sediment analysis (elemental, mineralogical, isotope ratios, particle characterisation).

WP3 – Interpretation & Data Mining; the activity took place during the project duration from the receipt of the first results until the end of the project.

WP4 – Dissemination & further steps; project website (https://www.murmap.at/en/), publications, conference contributions, final conference and information day. Further scientific papers will be published shortly and two dissertations will be defended.

WP5 – Management & Risk; the activity was successful implemented throughout the project duration.

Selected bibliography:

1.01 Original scientific article

ČEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, IRRGEHER, Johanna, ŠALA, Martin, KRALJ, Polona, ŽIBRET, Gorazd. Understanding the geochemical composition of alluvial sediments in a complex environmental system – A case study of the Mura/Mur river. Catena : an interdisciplinary journal of soil science, hydrology- geomorphology focusing on geology and landscape evolution. [Print ed.]. 2025, vol. 249, 15 str. ISSN 0341-8162. DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2024.108605. [COBISS.SI-ID 218055939], [Odprti dostop, JCR, SNIP]

1.05 Popular article

ČEPLAK, Barbara, ŽIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona. Predstavitev projekta MURmap : celostno geokemično sledenje anorganskih onesnaževal v porečju reke Mure : Novine občine Tišina. Letn. 24, št. 82, marec 2022, str. 12-13. Novine občine Tišina. marec 2022, letn. 24, št. 82, str. 12-13. [COBISS.SI-ID 132852739]

1.12 Published scientific conference contribution abstract

MOSER, Ulrike, ČEPLAK, Barbara, KRALJ, Polona, HOČEVAR, Samo B., ŠALA, Martin, LANCASTER, Shaun T., PROHASKA, Thomas, TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, CLASES, David, GONZALEZ DE VEGA, Raquel, ŽIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. Comprehensive (geo)chemical characterization of the Austrian-Slovenian Mur/Mura River catchment. V: ŠELIH, Vid Simon (ur.), ŠALA, Martin (ur.). European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry : book of abstracts : Ljubljana, Slovenia, January 29th – February 3rd, 2023. Ljubljana: National Institute of Chemistry, 2023. Str. 237. ISBN 978-961-6104-85-2. https://ewcps2023.si/dist/img/BoA_web.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 157957635]

MOSER, Ulrike, ČEPLAK, Barbara, KRALJ, Polona, ŠALA, Martin, HOČEVAR, Samo B., LANCASTER, Shaun T., PROHASKA, Thomas, WAGNER, Stefan, TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, CLASES, David, GONZALEZ DE VEGA, Raquel, ŽIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. MURmap – Assessing the natural and anthropogenic impact in a historically contaminated river from (mining) industry. V: Junganalytiker*innenforum 2023 = Young analytical scientist’s forum 2023 : May 11-12, 2023, Leoben, Austria : book of abstracts. Leoben: Montanuniversität Leoben, 2023. Str. 20. [COBISS.SI-ID 152255747]

ČEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, ŽIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona, IRRGEHER, Johanna, PROHASKA, Thomas, ŠALA, Martin, HOČEVAR, Samo B., TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel. Distribution of elements in stream sediments in the Mura River by applying ICP-MS. V: Junganalytiker*innenforum 2023 = Young analytical scientist’s forum 2023 : May 11-12, 2023, Leoben, Austria : book of abstracts. Leoben: Montanuniversität Leoben, 2023. Str. 45. [COBISS.SI-ID 152256771]

MOSER, Ulrike, ČEPLAK, Barbara, ALDRIAN, Alexia, HOČEVAR, Samo B., KRALJ, Polona, PROHASKA, Thomas, ŠALA, Martin, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, ŽIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. MURmap – Holistic geochemical tracking of elements and their sources in the Mur/Mura River Catchment. V: 28th ICP-MS Anwender*innentreffen 2022 : September 5-8, 2022 : Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria : programme. Leoben: Montanuniversität, 2022. Str. 84. [COBISS.SI-ID 124081923]

ŽIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona, ČEPLAK, Barbara, IRRGEHER, Johanna, PROHASKA, Thomas, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, MOSER, Ulrike, HOČEVAR, Samo B., ŠALA, Martin. MURmap – Celostno geokemično sledenje anorganskih onesnaževal v porečju reke Mure. V: RMAN, Nina (ur.), BRAČIČ-ŽELEZNIK, Branka (ur.), ŽVAB ROŽIČ, Petra (ur.). “Vedeti (ne)vidno – vloga geologije v naši družbi” : 6. slovenski geološki kongres : zbornik povzetkov = book of abstracts : 3.-5. oktober 2022, Rogaška Slatina. Ljubljana: Slovensko geološko društvo, 2022. Str. 104. ISBN 978-961-95928-0-9. [COBISS.SI-ID 126075907]

ŽIBRET, Gorazd. Projekt MURmap – Celosten pristop h geokemičnem sledenju anorganskih onesnažil v reki Muri in njenem zaledju.  In: Celostno geokemično sledenje anorganskih onesnaževal v porečju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemične lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesnaževalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ]. Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. 2850645 221520131]

ČEPLAK, Barbara. Združbe prvin v sedimentih reke Mure, značilni nosilci elementov in njihovi viri. In: Celostno geokemično sledenje anorganskih onesnaževal v porečju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemične lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesnaževalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ]. Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. [COBISS.SI-ID 226144771]

KRALJ, Polona. Sledne prvine v vodi reke Mure, njenih pritokih in pitni vodi iz obrečnih črpališčih.  In: Celostno geokemično sledenje anorganskih onesnaževal v porečju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemične lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesnaževalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ]. Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. 2850645 221517571]

3.15 Unpublished conference contribution

ALIJAGIĆ, Jasminka. Rečni sedimenti ter spremljava in upravljanje z njihovo kvaliteto : predavanje na konferenci Geokemične lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesnaževalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci. [COBISS.SI-ID 221518851]

BEDJANIČ, Mojca, RMAN, Nina. Ohranjanje dediščine “Iz globin”: čezmejni kulturno–turistični potencial : predavanje na konferenci Geokemične lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesnaževalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci. [COBISS.SI-ID 221359619]

2.19 Radio or television broadcast, podcast, interview, press conference

ŽIBRET, Gorazd (intervjuvanec), ČEPLAK, Barbara (intervjuvanec), IRRGEHER, Johanna (intervjuvanec), MOSER, Ulrike (intervjuvanec). Predstavitev rezultatov projekta MURmap. Murska Sobota: Televizija AS, 2024. 1 spletni vir (1 zvočna datoteka (9 min 56 sek)), barve, zvok. http://www.televizijaas.si/oddaje/video/4950-predstavitev_rezultatov_projekta_murmap_4_12_2024. [COBISS.SI-ID 221529347]