Investigation of Soil Cr and Ni Contamination in Different Land Uses and Tracing the Source of Contamination

Abstract

Chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) are commonly used heavy metals in alloy manufacture. In Korea, most research on heavy metal(loid)s focused on As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, and little attention has been paid to Cr and Ni. However, recent studies showed that they were gradually increasing in the soils, especially when the soils were influenced by human activities. Thus, this study aims to investigate soil Cr and Ni concentrations in different land uses and trace the source of Cr and Ni contamination. Cr and Ni concentrations in different use of soil were obtained from literature and soil analysis. Also, to identify the impact of dust deposition on the soil Cr and Ni, Cr and Ni levels in air dust from various areas were studied by literature review and air dust analysis. Soil Cr and Ni concentrations were higher near roadsides and industrial complexes, and their concentrations had a strong linear correlation. This indicates that Cr and Ni could have a common source of contamination such as vehicles. Similarly, Cr and Ni concentrations in air dust were also higher near roadsides, urban areas, and industrial areas. Therefore, Cr and Ni loads on soils are highly related to traffic and industrial activities.