Some Aspects of the Mobility and Distribution of Toxic Heavy Metal Contaminants Insoil Profiles and River Sediments

Abstract

Abstract Investigations of the distribution and mobility of Pb, Ni, Cd and Hg have shown that Pb is strongly associated with humic substances in the top layer of soils and in river sediments, and that Pb shows the highest organophilicity. Ni is very organophilic, and Cd, somewhat less so. The hydrophilicity of Hg highly influences its movement in soil profiles and river sediments. The risk of contamination by these metals is characterized through the environment protection capacity (EPCG) values which combine humus content and the quality and thickness of the humus layer in one parameter. The risk of contamination is highest at low EPCG values. Increase of EPCG decreases the risk of environmental contamination through binding of heavy metals to humic substances, decreasing their mobility.