Since 1990 the research group “Pollutant Dynamics” at the Saxon Academy has been investigating the process of self-purification of the former highly anthropogenically affected river Weisse Elster. This long term study, focusing on uranium, includes the components water (< 0.45 µm), suspended matter (SPM), sediment and floodplain soil (grain-size < 20µm,) from 1990 up to 2004.