TRACE-ELEMENTS IN THE WATER CYCLE OF THE SALEK VALLEY, SLOVENIA, USING INAA

Three watersheds were studied by sampling bulk precipitation depositio n, seepage water at 50 cm soil depth and spring water. As the main ana lytical method for determination of trace elements and heavy metals in water samples, the k(0)-based method of INAA was used. The results sh owed an increased content and concentration range of trace elements in precipitation, soil water and spring water in the vicinity of the Sos tanj Thermal Power Plant. We demonstrated that the k(0)-based method o f INAA as a multielement nondestructive technique is a highly suitable approach to determining some toxic trace elements in environmental st udies of the water cycle.