Nataša Gros
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 5,
SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
 

Abstract
This study gives an insight into the diversity of Slovene mineral and thermal waters as an important natural resource, furthermore, it compares Slovene waters to Central European waters. The evaluation of Slovene mineral waters is based on the data obtained at our Faculty during a longer period. In order to compare the two groups of waters building of computer data bases was required. The computer data base on Slovene mineral waters includes 118 different waters and nearly 10,000 data items. The data base for Central European waters is based on the monograph written by Carlé, comprising 15,000 data for 702 sampled waters. Among European waters 143 different balneological types were recognised. Slovene mineral waters qualified for 20 categories. Two types of Slovene mineral waters, i.e. NA-CA-MG-SO4-HCO3-CO2 and MG-NA-HCO3-SO4-CO2, had no exact match among European waters. For more precise evaluation of European and Slovene mineral waters a triangular diagram was selected and modified so as to allow for the four parameters of each water to be read simultaneously from the graph. Triangular diagrams show that European and Slovene mineral waters are comparable if the relative cationic composition of waters is considered. Hydrogen carbonate significantly predominates in anionic composition of Slovene mineral waters, while triangular diagrams for European mineral waters show that any proportion of chloride, sulphate and hydrogen carbonate is naturally possible.