Investigations of groundwater quality in environment of karst sinkholes

Abstract

The paper overviews the research material related to occurrence of sinkholes and change of their water quality in the conditions of increasingly natural environment and minimal anthropogenic impact. Sinkholes create favourable conditions for interaction of surface and groundwater. Identification of possible sources of sinkholes pollution is very important in solution of groundwater safety problems. Water quality investigations are carried out in 2 sinkholes and 2 groundwater wells. Sinkhole water quality may worsen due to accumulation of organic materials (increasing peat content). Water of peat-filled sinkholes has bigger amounts of N-NO3 and SO4 than groundwater in well. A more significant difference of water quality was found between well water in mineral soil and sinkhole.