Abstract
The Gemer region (Slovakia) belongs to areas with a high concentration of risk elements. The contents of Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Hg and Mn were determined in soils and cultivated agricultural production from lands in three cadastres of the Gemer region (Henckovce (48.713845, 20.426189) and Nižná Slaná (48.717373, 20.4208423), cultivated crop—spring triticale; Gemerská Poloma (48.704523, 20.487645), cultivated crop—maize). Bioavailable forms of Pb (0.306–0.532 mg/kg) and Cd (0.104–0.154 mg/kg), pseudototal forms of Cd (3.07–3.98 mg/kg) and Hg (0.484–2.18 mg/kg) represented the highest risk in soils. The highest contents of Pb (Cd, Hg) were in maize from Gemerská Poloma: 0.898 (0.081, 0.399) mg/kg DM. Soils were classified based on several indicators of soil contamination. The highest values of indicators are: Contamination factor (Cf 29.1—Hg), Degree of contamination (Cdeg 51.5), Potential ecological risk factor (Er 1163—Hg), Potential ecological risk index (RI 1,520), Pollution load index (PLI 4.76), Geo-accumulation index (Igeo 5.60—Hg). All indicators concerned the lands of Henckovce and Gemerská Poloma, RI also concerned the land of Nižná Slaná. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was calculated to assess the plant's ability to absorb the risk element. For both crops and all risk elements, BAF values were < 1. Obtained results indicate heavy metal contamination of soils, therefore monitoring of soils in investigated area is necessary.
Highlights
Soils are a key of enabling resource, central to the creation of a host of goods and services integral to ecosystems and human well-being
The main natural sources of heavy metals are atmospheric deposition, as well as volcanic activity, forest fires, vegetation, sea salt, e tc[3,4]
The main objective of this study was to assess the risk of soil contamination by heavy metals, which is a consequence of the old environmental burden in the northern part of the Gemer region
Summary
Soils are a key of enabling resource, central to the creation of a host of goods and services integral to ecosystems and human well-being. In agriculture and forestry, they are considered as a basic means of production and an important natural resource as well as a part of the environment and the wealth of society[1,2]. Geogenic (natural) and anthropogenic activities are a responsible sources of soil contamination by heavy m etals[3]. Principal anthropogenic sources include industrial emissions, mining, s melting[5], and agriculture (wastewater irrigation, application of fertilizers and pesticides)[3], urban activities (fuel combustion processes and transport, urbanisation, industrialisation, sewage water)[4,6,7,8]. Mining is considered to be one of the most important anthropogenic sources of heavy metal contamination[6]. Old environmental burdens and discontinued mining activities are significant sources of environmental contamination
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