Assessment of the Railroad Transport Impact on Physical and Chemical Soil Properties: The Case Study from Zduńska Wola Karsznice Railway Junction, Central Poland

Abstract

Contamination of the soil and water environment with harmful substances can be associated with many activities carried out on the railway. The problem is particularly relevant to liquid fuel loading and refueling facilities as well as to increased traffic at railway junctions. Studies were conducted in the area of railway junction Zduńska Wola Karsznice in central Poland (Łódź Voivodeship). Soil samples were collected from specific research points: from the inter-railway (A), 5 m from the main track (B), from the embankment—10 m from the main track (C), and from the side track (D), at the depth of 0–5 cm (1) and 20 cm (2). The following analyses were made: granulometric composition, pH in H2O, and percent content of carbonates (CaCO3). PHEs were determined in the fractions: 0.25 ≤ 0.5 mm, 0.1 ≤ 0.25 mm, and 0.05 ≤ 0.1 mm: Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Sr by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique (ICP-MS/TOF OPTIMass 9500). The objectives of the study were (1) to assess PHEs (potentially harmful elements) contamination of the topsoil level of railway area, (2) to determine the correlation between the concentration of PHEs and the size of the fraction, and (3) to identify the areas (places) where the highest concentrations of PHEs were recorded. Based on the studied parameters, significant differentiation in soil properties of the areas in Zduńska Wola Karsznice was found. The analyses carried out showed that the accumulation of potentially harmful elements was as follows: Cu > Zn > Sr > Pb > Ni > Cr > Co > Cd. The average concentrations of Cu, Zn, Sr, Pb, Ni, Cr, Co and Cd were 216.0; 152.1; 97.8; 64.6; 15.2; 14.4; 3.1 and 0.2 mg·kg−1 d.w., respectively. These contaminations occur in the topsoil layer of the railway embankment, which suggests a railway transport origin. The highest concentrations of PHEs were recorded in samples collected from close to the rails (inter-railway, side track), and in the embankment (10 m from the track) in the very fine sand fraction (0.05 ≤ 0.1 mm). The high accumulation index of copper, cadmium and lead in the surface layer of soil indicate their anthropogenic origin. The results presented in the paper can be used in local planning and spatial development of this area, taking into account all future decisions about ensuring environmental protection, including groundwater and soils.

Performance analysis of protective functions of forest plantations of the Lviv railway line (Ukraine)

“…Module of average runoff makes 7.0 l/sec/km 2 and average annual runoff rate of water is 5-30 m 3 /sec. Soil cover includes prevailing grey and light-grey puddled, meadow soils, characterized by superficial humus horizons of 10-12 cm, humus content is 3%, soil profile is poorly structural (Karabyn et al, 2019;Posokhov et al, 2019;Tomczyk-Wydrych et al, 2021).…”

The effect of road and railway traffic on the soil quality from the Public Garden of Galati, Romania

“…Maintenance activities of locomotives and wagons represent another source of pollution. Also, near old wooden railways ties, elements as Hg and Cu can be found as a consequence of using antifungal solutions to impregnate the wood [6,8].…”

Editorial for the Special Issue “Potentially Toxic Elements Pollution in Urban and Suburban Environments”

“…The published research articles include, in fact, case studies from China to South Africa to Europe and interest various environmental compartments. Tomczyk-Wydrych et al [11], Famuyiwa et al [12], and Guagliardi et al [13] approached, in their researches, the analysis of PTEs pollution in the soil matrix. Particularly, Tomczyk-Wydrych et al [11] assessed the PTEs contamination of the topsoil in the selected part of the Zdu ńska Wola Karsznice railroad, in central Poland, and individuated the anthropogenic origin of the high level of copper, cadmium, lead, and others in the surface layer of soil, the risk to living organisms, and the destabilizing effect on ecosystems.…”

“…Tomczyk-Wydrych et al [11], Famuyiwa et al [12], and Guagliardi et al [13] approached, in their researches, the analysis of PTEs pollution in the soil matrix. Particularly, Tomczyk-Wydrych et al [11] assessed the PTEs contamination of the topsoil in the selected part of the Zdu ńska Wola Karsznice railroad, in central Poland, and individuated the anthropogenic origin of the high level of copper, cadmium, lead, and others in the surface layer of soil, the risk to living organisms, and the destabilizing effect on ecosystems. The high accumulation index of copper, cadmium, and lead in the surface layer of soil indicated their anthropogenic origin.…”