Intensity of Soil Contamination in Industrial Centers of Kazakhstan

Abstract

For Kazakhstan, with its vast territory, the problem of disposal of solid waste from metallurgical, energy and petrochemical industries is becoming more acute. Failure to comply with hygiene requirements for the placement and operation of landfills increases the area of contaminated land and could become a threat to the public of environmental safety of industrial centers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the soil contamination in the towns and cities of Kazakhstan and the allocation of areas of risk to public health. The content of heavy metals in the soil (manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, tin, arsenic, vanadium) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometer MGA-915M.Evaluation of the results was performed with respect to the MPC substances in the soil, the toxicity of the components. Summarized metal soil pollution index (IZ) was obtained by the sum of the rate of excess metal concentration above the level of its world-Clark. To assess the different risk residence zones scale with 5 levels of purity up to 2 -very clean, 2.8 net, 8-16 acceptable, 16-32 moderately dangerous, dangerous 32-128 was chosen. We developed the original software product using GIS technology to provide environmental information on an electronic map of the city in the form of color patches (polygons), matching levels summarized indicator of soil contamination. Found that the most contaminated soil were village Glubokoe where pollution reached dangerous or extremely dangerous levels, Aktau and Zhanaozen in which moderately hazardous contamination was detected throughout; Ust-Kamenogorsk and village Sholakkorgan where moderately hazardous contamination was noted in the fourth part of the urban area. The most common heavy metal toxicity 1-2 class that exceeded MCL in soils, were lead, copper and zinc, and in village Glubokoe -chromium and arsenic, in Aktau -cadmium. Visualization of environmental pollution in some urban areas puts into the hands of environmentalists a new tool in the analysis of environmental health issues to reduce the carcinogenic and mutagenic effects of soil contamination with heavy metals. The mapping results of soil contamination will contribute earmarking local authorities to carry out administrative measures to optimize the environment in the industrial centers.