Changes in soil morphology of Podzols affected by alkaline fly ash blown out from the dumping site of an electric power plant

Abstract

Purpose The impacts of fly ash on the chemistry of forest floors were previously described in literature, while impacts on soil properties were less recognised. Soil investigations were focussed mainly on increases of pH and base saturations in surface horizons. The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of alkaline fly ash blown out from the dumping site of a lignite-fired power plant on pH changes of ectohumus horizons of Podzols and the morphology of deeper horizons. Materials and methods We investigated the soil profiles of Podzols derived from loose quartz sand and developed under pine forest surrounding the dumping site of the power plant Bełchatów, central Poland. In the vicinity of the fly ash dumping site, five Podzol profiles located at a distance of 50 m from the dumping site were investigated, as well as soil profiles located along the transect set at distances of 50, 300, 800 and 2000 m from the dumping site. Control profiles were located at a distance of 7.3 km from the dumping site. Soil morphology was described in the field and the following properties were determined: soil texture, hydrolytic acidity, exchangeable cations, total organic carbon and total nitrogen content. Results and discussion The pH values of Podzol ectohumus horizons located close to the dumping site ranged from 6.01 to 7.34 compared to a range of 3.08-3.72 in the control. Ectohumus horizon located 300 m from the dumping site showed a pH range of 4.13-4.26, while at a distance of 800 m, the pH values did not differ from those of the control site. The upper part of the eluvial soil horizons located close to the dumping site had been transformed into transitional AE horizons in which humic substances translocated from ectohumus horizons were accumulated. Moreover, the organic carbon content of this horizon increased compared to the carbon content of the illuvial Bs horizon located below it. Under the influence of alkalisation of upper horizons, the illuvial Bhs horizons vanished and were transformed into Bs horizons. Conclusions Changes in soils affected by fly ashes are connected with alkalinisation of ectohumus horizons. Podzolisation processes can be reduced or even completely stopped regarding the distance from the dumping site. Eluvial Podzol horizons located close to the dumping site may be transformed into AE horizons in which humic substances translocated from ectohumus horizons are accumulated. Due to transformation and translocation of organic components, Bhs horizons can be transformed into Bs horizons.

Reclamation of a lignite combustion waste disposal site with alders (Alnus sp.): assessment of tree growth and nutrient status within 10 years of the experiment

“…Combustion waste disposal sites may adversely affect the environment in adjacent areas because of wind erosion and dust pollution as well as leaching of alkaline and saline water which may lead to ground water contamination (Ram et al 2008 ; Cho and Park 2018 ). Ash from landfills remains suspended in the air for a long time and may negatively affect the health of the local population (Dellantonio et al 2009 ; Pandey et al 2009 ), and dust from ash disposal sites negatively affects the adjacent ecosystems, mainly through soil alkalisation and changes in soil morphology and properties (Frąc et al 2017 ; Weber et al 2017 ).…”

Indicators of pedogenesis of Technosols developed in an ash settling pond at the Bełchatów thermal power station (central Poland)

“…Moreover, it was found in a number of studies that eolian input of ash material can change the properties of soils located in the surroundings of ash disposal sites (Hartmann et al 2009(Hartmann et al , 2010a(Hartmann et al , 2010b. A similar impact of ash was observed in Podzols occurring in close vicinity of the Bagno-Lubieñ settling pond near the Be³chatów TPS (Weber et al 2017). The addition of ash to soil changes its chemical properties (pH, content of available forms of nutrients, content of soil organic matter) (Cieaeko et al 2015).…”

Preface

“…The issue contains the collection of 16 publications, which addressed the most recent advances and challenges in these fields. Six published papers are dealing with soils focusing on organic matter composition in rice-paddy soils (Cheng et al 2017) and degradation of organic matter in Andisol and Inceptisol paddy soils (Tang et al 2017), morphology of fly-ash contaminated soil (Weber et al 2017), the relationship between soil properties and plant community in a lagoon (Antisari et al 2017), methane transformation in a drained wetland soil (Jerman et al 2017), and the sources of soil CO 2 above a subterranean cave (Krajnc et al 2017). Five published papers consider biogeochemical processes in freshwater sediments focusing on metals in sediments of several areas, including the largest mercury mine district in Almaden area (Garcia-Ordiales et al 2017), in the Zrmanja River estuary (Fiket et al 2017) and in the Sava River (Vidmar et al 2017), as well as the characteristics of ammonia oxidizers in aquaculture ponds (Zhou et al 2017) and the effect of sediment grain size on heterotrophic respiration (Mori et al 2017).…”