Abstract
Problem statement: The objective of this research was to evaluate the degree of soil contamination with arsenic and antimony in Baia Mare, a nonferrous mining and metallurgical center located in the North West region of Romania. The soil in the area is affected by the emissions of powders containing metals from metallurgical factories. Previous studies indicated the soil contamination with copper, zinc, cadmium and lead, but there is few data about the actual level of soil pollution with arsenic and antimony. Approach: The soil samples were collected from 2 districts of Baia Mare: Ferneziu, which is located in the proximity of a lead smelter and Săsar district which is located along the Săsar River in the preferential direction of the wind over a metallurgical factory producing lead. As reference was considered Dura area located in a less polluted hilly area, in the west part of the town. Samples of soil and plants from the residential area of Ferneziu, Săsar and Dura districts were collected. The arsenic determination was carried out by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and the antimony determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: In Ferneziu area, the concentration of arsenic in soil ranged between 0.25 and 255 mg kg-1. In Săsar district the arsenic concentration in the soil ranged between 5.5 and 295 mg kg-1. Regarding antimony, in Ferneziu area the concentration ranged between 5.3 and 40.6 mg kg-1; while in Săsar, antimony soils concentrations vary in the range: 0.9-18.4. Arsenic and antimony concentrations in plants were low for almost of the samples, both in Ferneziu and Săsar area indicating a low mobility of these elements in the studied soils. Conclusion: This study indicated the soil pollution with arsenic both in Ferneziu district and in Săsar district. The soil pollution with antimony was found especially in Ferneziu district.
Highlights
There is available data concerning the nonferrous metals content in soil and plants in the Baia Mare area which is significant for mining and metallurgical activities (Frentiu et al, 2008; 2009; Cordos et al, 2007; Damian et al, 2008), but only fewer works have investigated the Arsenic (As) presence and there is no paper referring to the content of antimony (Sb) in the soil in this area
The researches conducted in Baia Mare area have highlighted multiple pollution by heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu) in the residential, agricultural and forestry soils felt at a distance over 25-30 km around the major pollution sources, as a consequence of the high emission levels and high frequency of exceeding the maximum admissible concentrations of Pb and Cd in Corresponding Author: Gabriela Oprea, Department of Chemistry-Biology, Faculty of Sciences, North University of Baia Mare, No 76, Victoriei Road, 430122, Baia Mare, Romania 33
As regards the origin of arsenic species it is known that the non-Ferrous ores in the area contain ArsenicSulfides (FeAsS), which are processed by frying forming the volatile As2O3 that can be oxidized to FeAsO4 and exhausted with ash particles
Summary
More and more studies have been lately published about the geochemical characterization of the soil and subsoil and about the differentiation of the additional contribution of metals and metalloids due to the ongoing human activities. Been and still are the particle emissions from metallurgical plants in the city, which besides the heavy metals listed above contain As and Sb. As regards the origin of arsenic species it is known that the non-Ferrous ores in the area contain ArsenicSulfides (FeAsS), which are processed by frying forming the volatile As2O3 that can be oxidized to FeAsO4 and exhausted with ash particles. The biogeochemical behavior of antimony is less presence of As may indicate a severe situation that requires urgent actions in order to reduce the pollution and remediate the contaminated sites These data should be connected with the possible presence of these metals in plants, which favors their uptake
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