Soil Contamination in the Problem Areas of Agrarian Slovakia

Fazekašová, Danica; Petrovič, František; Fazekaš, Juraj; Štofejová, Lenka; Baláž, Ivan; Tulis, Filip; Tóth, Tomáš

doi:10.3390/land10111248

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…For Pb and Cr, significant enrichment was recorded at one site (KE04; 5 < EF < 20). Similar findings regarding elevated Igeo and EF values in mining and industrial areas have been noted in previous studies by Wang et al [74], Dolezalova-Weissmanova et al [75], and Fazekašová et al [76]. The most significant enrichment was found in the order of Cd > Mn > Ni > Pb > Zn > Mg > Cu > As > Fe > Cr > Hg.…”

Section: Assessment Of Soil Pollutionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Transfer of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Soil-Plant System in Magnesite Mining and Processing Areas

2022

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Mining activities, ore concentrations, and transport processes generate large amounts of pollutants, including hazardous elements, which are released into the environment. This work presents the results of experimental research aimed at evaluating the environmental risks of soil and plant contamination in two magnesite mining and processing areas in the Slovak Republic, and assesses the phytoremediation potential of dominant plant species. Eleven potentially toxic elements in the soil were investigated using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, As, Ni, Mn, Mg, Fe) and atomic absorption spectrometry (Hg). In plants, potentially toxic elements were investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Cu, As, Cd, Pb) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (Cr, Zn, Mn, Mg). Selected soil parameters (pH, redox potential, and soil organic matter) were also investigated. Soil contamination was evaluated using environmental indices (geoaccumulation index—Igeo, enrichment factor—EF, contamination factor —Cf, degree of contamination—Cd). The phytoremediation potential of plants was evaluated using the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and the translocation factor (TF). The soil reaction in the studied areas indicated a strong alkalization of the soil. The soils in Jelšava-Lubeník were significantly contaminated with Cr, As, Mn, and Mg. The most significant enrichment based on the average values of EF was found to be in the order of Cd > Mg > Zn > Cu > As > Cr > Ni > Pb > Fe > Hg > Mn. The observed values of Cf and Cd indicated a high degree of soil contamination. In Košice, the soils were found to be significantly contaminated with Cr, Mn, Mg, and Ni. The most significant enrichment was found in the order of Cd > Mn > Ni > Pb > Zn > Mg > Cu > As > Fe > Cr > Hg. Very high Cf was found for Pb and Cr. The results of correlation and hierarchical cluster analyses suggest a similar origin of pollutants caused by significant anthropogenic interventions due to magnesite mining and processing. The investigated dominant plant species, Phragmites australis, Agrostis stolonifera, Elytrigia repens, and Taraxacum officinale are able to accumulate high concentrations of the monitored potentially toxic elements without more serious load or damage. The results of BCF and TF confirmed that P. australis and T. officinale appeared to be suitable accumulators in the phytoextraction process. In the case of E. repens and A. stolonifera it was confirmed that they accumulate and immobilize high concentrations of potentially toxic elements, especially in the roots, establishing the suitability of their use in phytostabilization processes.

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Section: Assessment Of Soil Pollutionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Transfer of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Soil-Plant System in Magnesite Mining and Processing Areas

2022

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“…In the case of Pb, the C f value was from 1.78 to 1.99, which indicates slight contamination with this element. The classification, according to Hakanson 53 , was used to assess the degree of contamination by individual heavy metals (Table 5 ), which was also used by other authors in their work 36 , 54 , 55 . In China, the C f has been accepted as a pollution index (PI), which is often assessed by comparing metal concentrations with relevant environmental directives or concerning relevant background values.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of old environmental burden in the Spiš region (Slovakia) on soil and home-grown vegetable contamination, and health effects of heavy metals

Musilová¹,

Franková²,

Lidiková³

et al. 2022

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Due to several centuries of ongoing mining activities, Middle Spiš (Slovakia) is one of the areas with a damaged environment. The contents of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Hg were determined in the soils and home-grown vegetables (potatoes, carrots, tomatoes). Except for Pb, the contents of heavy metals in the soils of some plots were higher than the limit values. Based on the values of Contamination factor (Cf), Degree of contamination (Cdeg), Geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and Pollution load index (PLI), very high Fe, Cd, and Hg contamination (Cf ≥ 6), very high soil contamination (Cdeg ≥ 20), extremely heavy Fe and Hg contamination (Igeo > 5), resp. moderately pollution to non-pollution (1 < PLI ≤ 2) was found in all plots. In vegetable samples, the maximum levels were exceeded for Cu, Pb, Hg (potato), Pb (carrot, tomato), and Hg (carrot, plot E). Bioaccumulation factor values BAF > 1 were for Cu (carrots, potatoes). Estimated daily intake values for all heavy metals were lower than their tolerable daily intake. Chronic daily intake of heavy metals ranged 2.495E−06 (Hg)—0.1416 (Fe) mg/kg/day. Based on Hazard index values, potato consumption poses a risk (0.8068–1.3057). The results showed that the monitoring of soils and cultivated production is necessary for the investigated area.

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“…Groundwater collectors do not form in the body of the landfill. Directly at the landfill are the soil from group of the Technosols (Michaeli et al 2021b;Fazekašová et al 2021), the type of Spolic Techosols/Alcalic Hyperartefactic (World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, Update 2015, Report 106). The soils of the type Mollic Fluvisols are around the landfill on the Danubian Plane.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The landfill from nickel production in Danubian Lowland and its environmental implications

2021

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The main objective of the paper is to point out to the origin of the waste from the production of nickel at the landfill in Sereď and its physical and chemical properties that affect the environmental conditions of the site. The landfill of metallurgical technological waste in Sereď is the second largest landfill for non-ferrous metallurgy in Slovakia (Central Europe). It is located in the northern part of the Danubian Lowland, southwest of the industrial zone of town Sereď. We divided the research into two phases. The preparatory phase consisted in obtaining all available archival materials for the years 1956−1993, so from of the construction of the plant to the end of production. The production was lasting from 1963 to 1993. The second phase concerned field research and was associated with sludge sampling for laboratory analysis. The results of the analysis identified the physical and chemical properties of the sludge as well as the possibilities of its use in some sectors of the economy. The production process in the nickel smelter was stopped in 1993 due to economic (annual state production subsidy was CZK 250 million) and ecological reasons. The landfill at the city’s industrial zone has remained to this day, but it was sold to a private company in 1994, thus relieving of the state’s liability for environmental damage.

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Soil Contamination in the Problem Areas of Agrarian Slovakia

Cited by 18 publications

References 42 publications

Transfer of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Soil-Plant System in Magnesite Mining and Processing Areas

Transfer of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Soil-Plant System in Magnesite Mining and Processing Areas

Impact of old environmental burden in the Spiš region (Slovakia) on soil and home-grown vegetable contamination, and health effects of heavy metals

The landfill from nickel production in Danubian Lowland and its environmental implications

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