Abstract
The distribution of Hg in the vicinity of roads is probably not exclusively dependent on car emissions, but also on the presence of other point or diffuse sources of Hg emissions located from metres to several km away. The source of mercury in urbanised areas is pollution derived from the burning of fuels and industrial and transport waste, while in agricultural areas, it is constituent in mineral fertilisers and crop protection products. The research objective was to evaluate the content and spatial distribution of mercury in arable soils adjacent to the A1 motorway in Poland. The research material consisted of 40 soil samples taken from 20 test points on four transects at distances of 5, 10, 25 and 50 m from a noise barrier and in the direction of an arable field, and 10 m from the noise barrier in the direction of the motorway. Total mercury content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry using an AMA 254 analyser. The spatial relationship between adjacent observations of variables was assessed using Moran’s I overall autocorrelation coefficient. Probability maps of mercury distribution in the field and pollution indicators were elaborated in ArcGIS 10.4.1. using Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation. Analysis of the spatial correlation of Moran’s I showed a lack of spatial dependence between tested points, which may evidence that the motorway does not affect mercury contents in the soil. The elevated mercury content at a single test point may indicate a random event unrelated to the motorway’s operation.
Highlights
The source of mercury in urbanised areas is pollution derived from the burning of fuels and industrial and transport waste, while in agricultural areas, it is constituent in mineral fertilisers and crop protection products
The research material consisted of 40 soil samples taken from 20 test points on four transects at distances of 5, 10, 25 and 50 m from a noise barrier and in the direction of an arable field, and 10 m from the noise barrier in the direction of the motorway
The mercury content results are the arithmetic means of replicates not exceeding 5% of the coefficient of variation
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The presence of mercury in the soil environment may be caused by natural or anthropogenic factors [4]. The presence of mercury in crude oil and its derivatives that has been indicated by researchers [8,9] justifies research into its contents and spatial distribution in soils adjacent to motorways. Secondary enrichment mechanisms-sorption, conversion at the solid-air interface are thought to have a significant impact on the concentration and speciation of particulate mercury in dust. The main task for improving our knowledge of mercury sources, fates, impacts, and emission conin defined urbanized areas than in agricultural areas [10–12]. The research hypothesis assumed thatdeposits road traffic the noise barrier would influenrichment mechanisms-sorption, conversion at the solid-air interface are thought to ence the content and spatial distribution of mercury in surrounding soils. Materials and Method knowledge of mercury sources, fates, impacts, and emission control options was defined
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