Table 5.18 - Descriptive statistics of annual mean concentrations of total heavy metals in European rivers

Source: Compiled by NERI and EEA-TF from multiple sources listed in Box 5E or referred to in the main text

  Number of
river stations
Drinking water
standard
(µg/l)
Percentage of river stations with concentrations
not exceeding (µg/l)
25% 50% 75% 90%
Copper 192 100-3000** 1.6 4.8 8.0 16.0
Zinc 176 100-5000** 5.0 10.4 36.0 91.0
Cadmium 145 5* 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.8
Mercury 163 1* 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.1
Lead 72 50* 0.8 2.7 6.7 11.0
Chromium 56 50* 1.3 4.3 11.5 17.0
Nickel 48 50* 0.8 4.3 11.5 17.0

Note:

* Maximum Admissible Concentration, and

** Guide level as specified in Council Directive (80/778/EEC).