THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY METALS FROM THE SOILS OF THE IASI CITY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

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THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY METALS FROM THE SOILS
OF THE IASI CITY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS Ovidiu
Gabriel Iancu 1, Nicolae Buzgar 1, Laviniu
Apostoae 1, Ciprian Popa 2, Cristian Secu 1,
Mihaela Lungu 3, Oana Stan 1
1University Al. I. Cuza of Iasi, Romania
2University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti Pescara,
Italy 3National Research-Development Institute
for Soil Science, Agrochemistry and Environment
Protection, ICPA Bucharest, Romania
MAEGS 15 - TALLINN September 18, 2007
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OBJECTIVE
The basic objective of this study is to pursue a
systematic investigation concerning the content
and distribution of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni, Cr,
Co and Cd, heavy metals commonly found in the
urban soils due to anthropogenic activities. We
also determined the Hg and CaCO3 contents pH.
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OBJECTIVE
The investigated regions in this paper are part
of a more detailed study which covers a perimeter
of approximate 16x16 km2 (the Iasi City and
surroundings).
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SETTING
Iasi, the second-largest Romanian city, is an
important economic centre in Romania. It has an
active trade in metals, medical drugs, textiles
and clothing, banking, wine and preserved meat.
The city has also become an important IT sector
centre, with 5 state and 3 private universities.
Iasi is also an important regional commercial
centre.
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SETTING
The total population of the Iasi metropolitan
area is about 400,000 inhabitants, with a density
of 149,6 inhabitants/sq.km.
Urban Area
Landsat Image
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Geomorphology
Main wind direction
Temperate continental climate
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Geology
Iasi
After Matresu Dinu, 2004
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Geology
Cross section through Moldavian Platform
(after Mutihac, 2004)
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Geology
Sarmatian litostratigraphic units on Moldavian
Platform (after Ionesi, 1994)
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SOILS
The soil cover in the studied areas consists of
the following types Mollic Fluvisols, Gleyc
Fluvisols, Stagnic Fluvisols, Calcic Phaeozems,
Chernozems, Calcic Chernozems, Vermic Chernozems,
Eutric Regosols, Mollic Technosols, Siltic-Clayic
Tehnosols, Hortic Anthrosols and Eutric
Anthrosols (WRBSR-2006).
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pH
The soil pH varies between moderately acid and
strongly alkaline.
NE
SE
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SAMPLING STRATEGY
Topsoil samples were collected on a grid of 500
m, from a depth of 0-25 cm, with a 25 cm long
hand sampler. This study was concentrated on a
number of about 400 samples from the agricultural
soils and forests covering the NE (259 samples,
14 alignments from E to W) and SE (136 samples, 7
alignments from E to W) areas of the survey
perimeter.
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IASI CITY and SURROUNDINGS
I
II
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NE AREA - I
I
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SE AREA - II
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ANALYTICAL METHODS
The samples weighing between 1.5 and 2.5 kg were
dried and sieved to lt 1 mm fraction and then
randomized and analyzed by Atomic Absorption
Spectroscopy (AAS Solaar type). The pH was also
determined by using a Corning M-555 pH/Ion Meter.
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ANALYTICAL METHODS
External check was performed on 40 samples (10)
by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) at the
University of Wien, Austria and by AAS at the
University of Katowice, Poland.
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RESULTS
Table 1. Qualitative parameters of Iasi soils
and surroundings (ppm)
As of Romanian legislation As of European
Legislation - Directive 86/278/EEC
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Qualitative parameters of Iasi soils and
surroundings (1)
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Qualitative parameters of Iasi soils and
surroundings (2)
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Average contents throughout the alignments
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RESULTS
The heavy metals contents - range between the
normal values for soils (according to Romanian
Legislation) Fe, Mn and Hg
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FE
NE
SE
25
MN
NE
SE
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RESULTS
The heavy metals contents - surpass the limit of
intervention for Co, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni and
Cr (according to Romanian Legislation) and for
Co, Zn, Cu, Ni and Cr (according to EU
legislation)
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CO
lt 15 RO lt 10 15 EU
NE
SE
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ZN
lt 100 RO lt 150 - 300 EU
NE
SE
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CU
lt 20 RO lt 50 - 140 EU
NE
SE
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NI
lt 20 RO lt 30 - 75 EU
NE
SE
31
PB
lt 20 RO lt 50 - 300 EU
NE
SE
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CR
lt 30 RO lt 50 - 200 EU
NE
SE
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RESULTS
The heavy metals contents Positive correlations
(35) prevail over the negative correlations
(28) - significant positive correlations
(p99,995) for the following chemical elements
pairs Fe-Mn Fe-Co Fe-Ni Mn-Co Ni-Cr
Cd-pH - significant negative correlations
(p99,995) for the following chemical elements
pairs Cu-Cd Cd-Co Cu-pH, Mn-pH, Co-pH.
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Correlation Coefficients Matrix
significant positive correlation, P 99,995 -
significant negative correlation, P 99,995
positive correlation, P 99,995 - negative
correlation, P 99,995
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Significant positive correlations (p99,995)
r 0,34921
r 0,28286
r 0,19385
r 0,23249
r 0,88140
r 0,25836
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Significant negative correlations (p99,995)
r -0,17042
r -0,39170
r -0,34189
r -0,19392
r -0,17006
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CONCLUSIONS
Heavy metal contents is contrasting, from normal
to high values even in the same profile. The
current work has established (according to
Romanian legislation) a possible anthropogenic
geochemical Ni, Cu anomalies for the entire
preliminary research areas and a localized one
for Cr, Pb. Zn and Co.
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CONCLUSIONS
The possible causes of the anomalies could be
plastic industry, steel works, refractory bricks
factories, traffic, coal combustion, waste
disposal and incineration, fertilisers,
insecticide and geogenic dust.
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Coal combustion
Plastic industry
Waste disposal
Refractory bricks
Steel works
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Coal combustion at CET Iasi
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to prof. dr. Friederich Koller
from the University of Wien, Austria and to dr.
Jolanda Burda from the University of Katowice,
Poland for the external check of the samples in
the framework of the CEEPUS programme. This work
was mainly supported by a Grant from the Romanian
Ministry of Education, Research and Youth (CEEX
MENER 748).
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION