Magnetic properties of the profiles of polluted and non-polluted soils. A case study from Ukraine

Abstract

S U M M A R YThis report deals with the preliminary study of the magnetic properties of the chernozem depth profiles from polluted and non-polluted areas situated in the Volnovaha-Mariupol agro-soil region in southeast Ukraine. The profiles of soil for study were taken from the chernozem virgin land of the Homutovski steppe and from the nearby polluted area of Mariupol belonging to the Dniprovsko-Donetskij industrial region. The magnetic mineralogy and magnetic properties were examined along the profiles to determine the vertical structure of the non-polluted soil and to find differences caused by pollution. The soil from the non-polluted area is characterized by maghemite and haematite content. Magnetite is present in the topsoil of profiles from the polluted area of Mariupol. Blocking temperatures increase with depth in all profiles, becoming close to the temperature characteristic for haematite. Hysteresis parameters show that the deep soil is characterized by higher coercivity and coercivity of remanence values and lower saturation isothermal remanent magnetization and saturation magnetization values than the respective parameters in the topsoil. The grain size of magnetic minerals also changes with depth, becoming larger for deeper horizons. The surface values of susceptibility, saturation magnetization, saturation isothermal remanent magnetization and anhysteretic remanent magnetization for the polluted profiles from Mariupol show enhancement in relation to the values for the Homutowski steppe as a result of contamination by magnetite and haematite. However, starting from a depth of approximately 80-100 cm, the magnetic parameters approach the same values. This suggests that in deep horizons a lithogenic contribution prevails, similar for both areas.

Investigation of the magnetic properties of soils in the Cisna-Wetlina Landscape Park.

“…Consequently, we assert, that its evidence on the κ(T) curves is a consequence of the production of magnetite during thermal treatments. It is worth adding that our results are similar to those obtained by Jeleńska et al (2004) for non-polluted chernozem soils.…”

“…In this case, above the temperature of 200°C, a monoclinic pyrrhotite is formed (Dunlop & Özdemir 2007). The decrease observed in the range 280-400°C points to the alteration of some grains of maghemite into hematite (Jeleńska et al 2004). The partial alteration of maghemite depends on its size, because only finegrained maghemite can be completely converted to hematite in the temperature range ca.…”

Magnetic mapping and soil magnetometry of hydrocarbon prospective areas in western Ukraine

“…Furthermore, in studying the topsoil a clear distinction should be drawn between the pedogenic and the hydrocarbon origin of the magnetic signal. For example, the Ukraine chernozems contain fine-grained oxidized magnetite and maghemite of pedogenic origin formed by weathering of the parent material (Jeleńska et al, 2004).…”

Fifty Years of Palaeomagnetic Studies in the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences

“…According to the project he led the following two expeditions to western Spitsbergen (2012) In 2001 Maria Jeleńska initiated study of environmental magnetism by obtaining a NATO grant for investigations of polluted and non-polluted soils in the Ukraine. The study was performed together with Ph.D. student Agata Hasso-Agopsowicz in cooperation with the University of Kiev (Jeleńska et al 2004. In the next years M. Jeleńska organized a group consisting of El_ zbieta Król, Beata Górka-Kostrubiec (who came to the Institute in 2008) and joined lately by the Ph.D. student Sylwia Dytłow.…”