INFLUENCE OF CHARCOAL CALCINATION IN FIELD CONDITIONS ON HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN PLANTS AND IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE RETORTS

Abstract

One of the ways of charcoal producing is its calcination in charcoal kilns called retorts in field conditions. In the charcoal production wood of deciduous trees is being subjected to the process of dry distillation. The process affects the surrounding environment. During the process a lot of pollutants are emitted to natural environment. One of them is ash, which contains heavy metals. The paper aimed at determining the effect of charcoal calcination on heavy metal content in the soil and plant material in the immediate vicinity. Charcoal calcination causes the alkalinization of the soil to 10 metres. In the closest vicinity, the calcination process increases Mn, Cd, Ni and Cu concentrations in the soil material. The influence of charcoal production on the con centrations Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr in soil material cannot be determined unanimously. The effect of the process on heavy metal content in plant material cannot be determined unanimously.