Spatial Distribution and Evaluation of Arsenic and Zinc Content in the Soil of a Karst Landscape

Abstract

Karst features such as polje are highly vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic pollution. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the soil quality in the Ioannina polje (north-west Greece) concerning arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn), and delineate their origin as well as compare the As and Zn content in soil with criteria recorded in the literature. For this purpose, the geomorphological settings, the land use, and the soil physicochemical properties were mapped and evaluated, including soil texture and concentrations of aqua-regia extractable As and Zn. The concentration of elements was spatially correlated with the land use and the geology of the study area, while screening values were applied to assess land suitability. The results reveal that 72% of the total study area has a very gentle slope. This relief favors urban and agricultural activity. Thus, the urban and agricultural land used cover 92% of the total area. The spatial distribution for As and Zn in the soil of the study area is located on very gentle slopes and is strongly correlated with the geological parent materials and human-induced contamination sources. Arsenic and Zn can be considered enriched in the soil of the area studied. The median topsoil contents (in mg kg−1) for As (agricultural soil 16.0; urban soil 17.8) and Zn (agricultural soil 92.0; urban soil 95.0) are higher compared to the corresponding median values of European topsoils. Land evaluation suitability concerning criteria given from the literature is discussed. The proposed work may be helpful in the project of land use planning and the protection of the natural environment.

Distribution, Risk Assessment and Source Identification of Potentially Toxic Elements in Coal Mining Contaminated Soils of Makarwal, Pakistan: Environmental and Human Health Outcomes

“…The sources of trace metal pollution in the soil samples were influenced by many factors, including natural and anthropogenic ones, as also reported by Hussain et al [18] and Chifflet et al [58]. Natural factors can be, for example, the weathering processes of rocks and minerals [59][60][61], while in many cases, the anthropogenic factors can include several activities, such as urban, agricultural, industrial, mining, or transportation [2,9,11,[61][62][63][64][65].…”

Arsenic in a Karstic Paddy Soil with a High Geochemical Background in Guangxi, China: Its Bioavailability and Controlling Factors

“…Arsenic (As), a potentially toxic element to humans, is bioaccumulative and nonbiodegradable in the natural environment [1][2][3]. Karst terrains occupy about 7-10% of the planet [4]. China has approximately 2 million square kilometers of karst landforms, distributed in various provinces and regions, with the majority located in the southern part of the country, particularly widespread in Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Chongqing.…”

Aqueous Arsenic Speciation with Hydrogeochemical Modeling and Correlation with Fluorine in Groundwater in a Semiarid Region of Mexico

“…Approximately 6 million Mexicans are exposed to high concentrations of arsenic and fluorine, especially in central-northern arid region where predominant geology is characterized by outcrops of Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Tertiary igneous rocks, and marsh and lake deposits. Mine tailings and mineral deposits of hydrothermal origin can be a contributing factor to the presence of As in soils, sediments, and groundwater [5,6,[8][9][10]. This is a problem with worldwide relevance, where high concentrations of this element in groundwater have been reported in different places throughout history; some relevant reports are observed in Table 1.…”

“…However, most of this geogenic contamination is deposited in alluvial aquifers, exposing 94 million people [11]. The main continent affected by this problem concerning its population is Asia, followed by Africa and South America [10][11][12][13].…”