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Soil Contamination in the Problem Areas of Agrarian Slovakia

Author

Listed:
  • Danica Fazekašová

    (Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Management, University of Prešov, Konštantínova 16, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia)

  • František Petrovič

    (Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Juraj Fazekaš

    (Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Management, University of Prešov, Konštantínova 16, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia)

  • Lenka Štofejová

    (Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Management, University of Prešov, Konštantínova 16, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia)

  • Ivan Baláž

    (Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Filip Tulis

    (Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Tomáš Tóth

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia)

Abstract

Landfills, old and abandoned mines, industrial sites, heaps, sludge ponds and other sources of pollution represent environmental threats and are characterized as chemical time bombs. This work is focused on the evaluation of soil contamination by risk elements using various indices (geoaccumulation index—I geo , enrichment factor—EF, contamination factor—C i f and degree of contamination—C d ). These selected agrarian problem areas are located in Slovakia, especially in the air pollution field of landfills consisting of power plant fly ash, tannery and footwear wastes, leachate (lúženec), iron ore slag, waste from metallurgy and sludge ponds in which coal sludge waste is deposited and waste from ore treatment. Nine research sites in the agrarian region of Slovak Republic were monitored. Ten risk elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd and Hg) and pH/H 2 O were included in this study and were determined in surface soils (of 0.05 m to 0.15 m) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Our study showed the highest exceedance of the limit values of risk elements in the order Ni (51.85 times) > Co (25.47 times) > Cd (13.70 times) > Cu (12.78 times) > Cr (8.37 times) > Fe (8.26 times) > Hg (7.94 times) > Zn (5.71 times) > Pb (4.63 times). The content of risk elements increased based on the average values of I geo in the order of Cr < Hg < Zn < Pb < Ni < Cu < Cd. I geo values for cadmium indicated mild-to-extreme contamination at all sites. We found the most significant enrichment in the order of Cd > Cu > Pb > Ni > Zn > Hg > Cr. EF values for cadmium indicated extremely high enrichment; the C i f and C d values indicated a very high degree of soil contamination near the nickel smelter landfill, an industrial metallurgical plant and old but active mines. The studied areas pose a serious danger not only to the soil but also to groundwater and biota due to the prevailing low soil reaction, which increases the mobility of toxic elements. The study provides important results for the development of effective strategies for the control and remediation of endangered areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Danica Fazekašová & František Petrovič & Juraj Fazekaš & Lenka Štofejová & Ivan Baláž & Filip Tulis & Tomáš Tóth, 2021. "Soil Contamination in the Problem Areas of Agrarian Slovakia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:11:p:1248-:d:678897
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ewa Wojciechowska & Nicole Nawrot & Jolanta Walkusz-Miotk & Karolina Matej-Łukowicz & Ksenia Pazdro, 2019. "Heavy Metals in Sediments of Urban Streams: Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Influencing Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, January.
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    3. Haifang He & Longqing Shi & Guang Yang & Minsheng You & Liette Vasseur, 2020. "Ecological Risk Assessment of Soil Heavy Metals and Pesticide Residues in Tea Plantations," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-10, February.
    4. Na Wang & Jichang Han & Yang Wei & Gang Li & Yingying Sun, 2019. "Potential Ecological Risk and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Metalloid in Soil around Xunyang Mining Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lubica Kozakova & Maria Kanuchova & Tomas Bakalar & Henrieta Pavolova, 2023. "The Characterization of Slovinky Sludge Bed Material Using Spectroscopic Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-10, May.
    2. Ahmed Saleh & Yehia H. Dawood & Ahmed Gad, 2022. "Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements’ Contamination in the Soil of Greater Cairo, Egypt Using Geochemical and Magnetic Attributes," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, February.

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