Content<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The main objective of the project, in which the Geological Survey of Slovenia, Montanuniversit\u00e4t 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Phases of the project and their realization<\/strong><\/p>\n WP1 \u2013 Sampling; completion of 5 sampling campaigns (May 2022, August 2022, February 2023, August 2023 and November 2023).<\/p>\n WP2 \u2013 Analysis; completion of water and sediment analysis (elemental, mineralogical, isotope ratios, particle characterisation).<\/p>\n WP3 \u2013 Interpretation & Data Mining; the activity took place during the project duration from the receipt of the first results until the end of the project.<\/p>\n WP4 \u2013 Dissemination & further steps; project website\u00a0(https:\/\/www.murmap.at\/en\/<\/a>),\u00a0publications, conference contributions, final conference and information day. Further scientific papers will be published shortly and two dissertations will be defended.<\/p>\n WP5 \u2013 Management & Risk; the activity was successful implemented throughout the project duration.<\/p>\n Selected bibliography:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.01 Original scientific article<\/strong><\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, IRRGEHER, Johanna, \u0160ALA, Martin, KRALJ, Polona, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd. Understanding the geochemical composition of alluvial sediments in a complex environmental system \u2013 A case study of the Mura\/Mur river.\u00a0Catena : 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:\u00a010.1016\/j.catena.2024.108605<\/a>. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0218055939<\/a>], [Odprti dostop<\/a>,\u00a0JCR<\/a>,\u00a0SNIP<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, IRRGEHER, Johanna, \u0160ALA, Martin, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd. Geochemical properties of stream sediments and suspended particulate matter and determination of geochemical background values for the Alpine River Mura.\u00a0Environmental geochemistry and health<\/em>. 2026, vol. 48, [article no.] 470, 24 str. ISSN 0269-4042. DOI:\u00a010.1007\/s10653-026-03331-4<\/a>. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0285647363<\/a>], [JCR<\/a>,\u00a0SNIP<\/a>,\u00a0WoS<\/a>]<\/p>\n MOSER, Ulrike, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, WAGNER, Stefan, LANCASTER, Shaun T., \u0160ALA, Martin, PROHASKA, Thomas, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. Spatio\u2011temporal variations of strontium isotope ratios in the Mur River: a tool to support river management.\u00a0Aquatic sciences<\/em>. 2026, vol. 88, issue 2, [article no.] 25, 24 str. ISSN 1015-1621.\u00a0DiRROS – Digitalni repozitorij raziskovalnih organizacij Slovenije<\/a>, DOI:\u00a010.1007\/s00027-025-01253-4<\/a>. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0267764739<\/a>], [Odprti dostop<\/a>,\u00a0JCR<\/a>,\u00a0SNIP<\/a>,\u00a0WoS<\/a>,\u00a0Scopus<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 1.05 Popular article<\/strong><\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona. Predstavitev projekta MURmap : celostno geokemi\u010dno sledenje anorganskih onesna\u017eeval v pore\u010dju reke Mure : Novine ob\u010dine Ti\u0161ina. Letn. 24, \u0161t. 82, marec 2022, str. 12-13.\u00a0Novine ob\u010dine Ti\u0161ina. marec 2022, letn. 24, \u0161t. 82, str. 12-13. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0132852739<\/a>]<\/p>\n 1.12 Published scientific conference contribution abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n MOSER, Ulrike, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, KRALJ, Polona, HO\u010cEVAR, Samo B., \u0160ALA, Martin, LANCASTER, Shaun T., PROHASKA, Thomas, TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, CLASES, David, GONZALEZ DE VEGA, Raquel, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. Comprehensive (geo)chemical characterization of the Austrian-Slovenian Mur\/Mura River catchment. V: \u0160ELIH, Vid Simon (ur.), \u0160ALA, Martin (ur.).\u00a0European 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.\u00a0https:\/\/ewcps2023.si\/dist\/img\/BoA_web.pdf<\/a>. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0157957635<\/a>]<\/p>\n MOSER, Ulrike, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, KRALJ, Polona, \u0160ALA, Martin, HO\u010cEVAR, Samo B., LANCASTER, Shaun T., PROHASKA, Thomas, WAGNER, Stefan, TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, CLASES, David, GONZALEZ DE VEGA, Raquel, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. MURmap \u2013 Assessing the natural and anthropogenic impact in a historically contaminated river from (mining) industry. V:\u00a0Junganalytiker*innenforum 2023 = Young analytical scientist\u2019s forum 2023 : May 11-12, 2023, Leoben, Austria : book of abstracts. Leoben: Montanuniversit\u00e4t Leoben, 2023. Str. 20. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0152255747<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona, IRRGEHER, Johanna, PROHASKA, Thomas, \u0160ALA, Martin, HO\u010cEVAR, Samo B., TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel. Distribution of elements in stream sediments in the Mura River by applying ICP-MS. V:\u00a0Junganalytiker*innenforum 2023 = Young analytical scientist\u2019s forum 2023 : May 11-12, 2023, Leoben, Austria : book of abstracts. Leoben: Montanuniversit\u00e4t Leoben, 2023. Str. 45. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0152256771<\/a>]<\/p>\n MOSER, Ulrike, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, ALDRIAN, Alexia, HO\u010cEVAR, Samo B., KRALJ, Polona, PROHASKA, Thomas, \u0160ALA, Martin, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, IRRGEHER, Johanna. MURmap – Holistic geochemical tracking of elements and their sources in the Mur\/Mura River Catchment. V:\u00a028th ICP-MS Anwender*innentreffen 2022 : September 5-8, 2022 : Montanuniversit\u00e4t Leoben, Austria : programme. Leoben: Montanuniversit\u00e4t, 2022. Str. 84. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0124081923<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, IRRGEHER, Johanna, PROHASKA, Thomas, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, MOSER, Ulrike, HO\u010cEVAR, Samo B., \u0160ALA, Martin. MURmap \u2013 Celostno geokemi\u010dno sledenje anorganskih onesna\u017eeval v pore\u010dju reke Mure. V: RMAN, Nina (ur.), BRA\u010cI\u010c-\u017dELEZNIK, Branka (ur.), \u017dVAB RO\u017dI\u010c, Petra (ur.).\u00a0“Vedeti (ne)vidno – vloga geologije v na\u0161i dru\u017ebi” : 6. slovenski geolo\u0161ki kongres : zbornik povzetkov = book of abstracts : 3.-5. oktober 2022, Roga\u0161ka Slatina. Ljubljana: Slovensko geolo\u0161ko dru\u0161tvo, 2022. Str. 104. ISBN 978-961-95928-0-9. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0126075907<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u017dIBRET, Gorazd.\u00a0Projekt MURmap –\u00a0Celosten pristop h geokemi\u010dnem sledenju anorganskih onesna\u017eil v reki Muri in njenem zaledju. \u00a0In:\u00a0Celostno geokemi\u010dno sledenje anorganskih onesna\u017eeval v pore\u010dju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemi\u010dne lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesna\u017eevalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ].\u00a0Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0221520131<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara. Zdru\u017ebe prvin v sedimentih reke Mure, zna\u010dilni nosilci elementov in njihovi viri. In:\u00a0Celostno geokemi\u010dno sledenje anorganskih onesna\u017eeval v pore\u010dju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemi\u010dne lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesna\u017eevalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ]. Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0226144771<\/a>]<\/p>\n KRALJ, Polona.\u00a0Sledne prvine v vodi reke Mure, njenih pritokih in pitni vodi iz obre\u010dnih \u010drpali\u0161\u010dih. \u00a0In:\u00a0Celostno geokemi\u010dno sledenje anorganskih onesna\u017eeval v pore\u010dju reke Mure (MURmap) : [predstavitve rezultatov projekta na konferenci Geokemi\u010dne lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesna\u017eevalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci ]. Ljubljana; Leoben: MURmap projekt, 2024. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0221517571<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, MOSER, Ulrike, IRRGEHER, Johanna, \u0160ALA, Martin. Technology-critical elements in Mura River sediments with a particular focus on yree levels. V:\u00a041st International Conference on Environmental Geochemistry and Health : Ljubljana, 13-17 July 2026 : book of abstracts<\/em>. Str. 40. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0285280003<\/a>]<\/p>\n \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, MOSER, Ulrike, IRRGEHER, Johanna, \u0160ALA, Martin, KRALJ, Polona, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd. Geogenic and anthropogenic geochemical associations of elements in alluvial sediments and suspended particulate matter as indicators of anthropogenic elemental anomalies in an Alpine river \u2013 case study of the Mura River, Austria and Slovenia. V:\u00a0Geosciences and the Challenges of the 21st Century : Padova, 16-18 September 2025 : abstract book<\/em>. Padova: Societ\u00e0 Geologica Italiana, 2025. Str. 622. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0250259971<\/a>]<\/p>\n MOSER, Ulrike, \u010cEPLAK, Barbara, \u0160ALA, Martin, LANCASTER, Shaun T., TISCHBERGER-ALDRIAN, Alexia, FEUCHT, Florian, \u017dIBRET, Gorazd, KRALJ, Polona, WAGNER, Stefan, PROHASKA, Thomas, VOLLPRECHT, Daniel, SEDLAZECK, Klaus Philipp, IRRGEHER, Johanna. Geochemical dynamics and anthropogenic impacts on the Mur River catchment: insights from pH-dependent element leaching of sediment and 87Sr\/86Sr isotope analysis of the water phase. V:\u00a0Goldschmidt : Prague : 6-11 July 2025<\/em>. [S. l.]: European Association of Geochemistry, 2025.\u00a0https:\/\/conf.goldschmidt.info\/goldschmidt\/2025\/meetingapp.cgi\/Paper\/29629<\/a>. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0250247427<\/a>]<\/p>\n 3.15<\/strong>\u00a0Unpublished conference contribution<\/strong><\/p>\n ALIJAGI\u0106, Jasminka.\u00a0Re\u010dni sedimenti ter spremljava in upravljanje z njihovo kvaliteto : predavanje na konferenci Geokemi\u010dne lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesna\u017eevalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0221518851<\/a>]<\/p>\n BEDJANI\u010c, Mojca, RMAN, Nina.\u00a0Ohranjanje dedi\u0161\u010dine “Iz globin”: \u010dezmejni kulturno\u2013turisti\u010dni potencial : predavanje na konferenci Geokemi\u010dne lastnosti vode in sedimentov reke Mure, s poudarkom na sodobnih onesna\u017eevalih, 29. november 2024, Radenci. [COBISS.SI-ID\u00a0221359619<\/a>]<\/p>\n 2.19\u00a0Radio or television broadcast, podcast, interview, press conference<\/strong><\/p>\n \u017dIBRET, Gorazd (intervjuvanec), \u010cEPLAK, Barbara (intervjuvanec), IRRGEHER, Johanna (intervjuvanec), MOSER, Ulrike (intervjuvanec).\u00a0Predstavitev rezultatov projekta MURmap. Murska Sobota: Televizija AS, 2024. 1 spletni vir (1 zvo\u010dna datoteka (9 min 56 sek)), barve, zvok.\u00a0http:\/\/www.televizijaas.si\/oddaje\/video\/4950-predstavitev_rezultatov_projekta_murmap_4_12_2024<\/a>. 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