Role of Gravitational Processes in the Migration of Heavy Metals in Soils of the Priolkhonye Mountain-Steppe Landscapes, Lake Baikal: Methodology of Research

Vadim A Pellinen,Tatiana Yu Cherkashina,Anastasia V Komarova,Natalia N Ukhova

doi:10.3390/agronomy11102007

Vadim A Pellinen, Tatiana Yu Cherkashina + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11102007

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Abstract

The study object of this work is the soils of the Priolkhonye mountain-steppe landscapes. This research is performed at the Priolkhonye test site. Annual monitoring for exogenous geological process activity is conducted there. This research aims to study the influence of gravitational geological processes (landslides) on the migration of heavy metals, which are introduced into soil as a result of human agricultural activity. A methodology for the geoecological monitoring of soils based on an assessment of their contamination level by anthropogenic heavy metals, and a transfer mechanism throughout whole migration path (field–landslide–coast) is proposed. The following steps were taken to solve this problem: isolating a fine-grained fraction (<100 μm); determining the Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cu concentrations using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence and atomic absorption spectroscopies, as well as total organic carbon (TOC) content using UV-Vis spectrophotometry; computing various geochemical indices; and describing the migration path of these heavy metals and TOC. The monitoring results showed that these pollutants migrate to the coastal zone as a result of landslides activation. The soil contamination level is increased which can cause negative toxic effects in coastal ecosystems, and could rise to a dangerous level for humans. Thus, the observed changes in the indices and TOC values allow us to assess the geoecological state of the study area; namely, the periods of landslide activity and the supply of these pollutants to the coastal zone.

Highlights

The Priolkhonye Region is one of the intensively developed territories of the BaikalRegion and belongs to the federal state budgetary institution, the "Pribaikalye Preserve" [1].Nowadays, tourist and recreational development of Priolkhonye is intensive and constantly expanding, especially on Olkhon Island
Island is the most visited area of Lake Baikal. Such a long impact of human activities on Olkhon soil cover activated a certain type of exogenous geological processes, which appeared as the formation of unique relief forms
We developed a methodology for assessing the geoecological state of territories using geochemical indices (Cf, contamination degree (Cd), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), and Igeo ) [7]

Summary

Introduction

Tourist and recreational development of Priolkhonye is intensive and constantly expanding, especially on Olkhon Island. Island is the most visited area of Lake Baikal Such a long impact of human activities on Olkhon soil cover activated a certain type of exogenous geological processes, which appeared as the formation of unique relief forms. The order of median heavy metal concentrations (in mg kg−1 ) in the soil samples for the field zone (S1 and S2 sites, Figure 2) was the following: Cu (45) > Pb (20) > Cd (0.21) > Hg (0.12). The determined concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cu were in the following ranges (in mg kg−1 ): 0.015–0.126, 0.18–0.34, 3.50–30.0, and 33–78, respectively These elements showed moderate variability, except Hg, for which it was higher, with concentrations increasing towards the S2 site

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