Differentiation of Trace Metal Contamination Level between Different Urban Functional Zones in Permafrost Affected Soils (the Example of Several Cities in the Yamal Region, Russian Arctic)

Timur Nizamutdinov,Alexandr Pechkin,Jakub Kostecki,Andrzej Greinert,Eugenia Morgun,Evgeny Abakumov

doi:10.3390/min11070668

Abstract

Dynamically developing urbanization causes a number of environmental effects, including those related to the chemical transformation of soils. Relatively less information about the urban areas of the Arctic and Subarctic zones, constructed mostly on permafrost and intensively populated areas can be found. By the example of the analysis of basic soil properties and concentrations of trace metals in the soils of the cities of Salekhard, Urengoy, Nadym, Novy Urengoy and Gaz Sale (the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District), as well as various functional zones within the cities, the relationship between the age of the cities, the level of anthropogenic pressure and the type of parent materials and the character of accumulation of metals in the soil profile of urban soils have been described. The direct correlation was found between the content of Pb, Cr, Ni, As and soil sorption characteristics. In young cities built on sandy sediments, there is less accumulation of heavy metals in the topsoil horizons. Relatively higher concentrations of Cu and Cd were noted in soils of industrialized cities, regardless of functional zones. The higher content of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb has been registered in older zones also frequently used for residential purposes. The calculated values of the PI index for some functional zones of young cities show the medium and high content of heavy metals. The analysis of Igeo and PLI indices shows a large diversity both in relation to individual cities and their functional zones. Soil quality, in spite of the high level of anthropogenic load, was assessed as mostly satisfactory.

Highlights

Urbanization and urban sprawl has to a large extent a demographic background—modern cities accept a constantly growing number of inhabitants—constituting already55.3%, and in 2050, possibly 68.4% of the total world population [1]
The traditional understanding of soil formation according to states of Dokuchaev and his followers is the equality of soil-forming factors, among which climate is a key determinant, in the Arctic under homogeneous humid climate conditions more attention should be paid to the lithogenic diversity and its influence on the soil cover
The investigation of soil urban ecosystems is largely complicated by a complex system of anthropogenic transformations of local landscapes in the territory of a single city

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization and urban sprawl has to a large extent a demographic background—modern cities accept a constantly growing number of inhabitants—constituting already55.3%, and in 2050, possibly 68.4% of the total world population [1]. It should be expected that they will proceed very intensively in areas of key importance to the economies of individual countries Such areas are strongly related to the presence of raw materials and dynamically developing industry. More than 85% of the population of the Russian Arctic lives in cities. This is the highest rate of urbanization in all of Russia [2]. Large settlements in the Arctic regions were formed as a result of the industrial development of the north. In the period from 1960 to 1990 there were created 6 cities and 14 small settlements, which were focused on the search and extraction of hydrocarbon raw materials. At present about 75% of the population of the Yamal region lives in these towns [4,5]

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