Contamination of soil cover with compounds of metals, arsenic and antimony in the area of impact of fuel and energy complex
D.G. Sycheva, N.E. Kosheleva, I.V. Timofeev
Section: Monitoring of natural and anthropogenically disturbed areas
The relevance of the study is caused by a significant amount of toxic emissions from thermal power plants (TPPs)
operating on brown coal, which can precipitate from the atmosphere and accumulate in urban soils. To assess the impact
of TPP emissions on soil pollution in the city of Gusinoozyorsk (Republic of Buryatia), samples were taken from the
upper (0–10 cm) horizons on a regular grid. With the help of the ICP-MS and ICP-AES methods the content of Zn, As, Cd, Bi, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Sb, Mo, V, W, Sr, Ag were analyzed in 79 soil samples, as well as in brown coal and ash of
Gusinoozyorsk TPP, whose emissions are the main source of pollution. Brown coals contain concentrations of Mo, W, Sr, Zn, V 1.5–2.9 times higher than the clarkes for coals of the world. Ash is enriched with Mo, Sr, V, Cu, Co compared
to world clarkes. The ability of soils to adsorb heavy metals, arsenic and antimony is determined by their physicochemical properties: a slightly alkaline reaction, a medium loamy texture and an average content of organic matter (2.7%).
The soils of the industrial operating and one-storey residential land use subzones are the most contaminated. In the first
zone Cu, Ag, As, Sr, Co, V, Ni, Sb accumulate which are associated with emissions from the Gusinoozyorsk TPP and the
influence of coal dust. In the second zone Sb, Cu, Sr, Zn, Ag, Cd, Pb accumulate which enter the soils with fly ash from
the TPP, household waste and car emissions. Heavy metals and metalloids in the soil cover have formed several local
anthropogenic anomalies of high and moderate contrast, which occupy 7% of the city’s area.
Keywords: heavy metals, metalloids, urban soils, environmental geochemistry, thermal power plant, brown coal, fly ash
Article published in number 2 for 2022 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2022-2-048-055
ISSN 1995-4301
Select viewing options
